Joint letter to the Prime Minister on the Comprehensive Spending Review

In an urgent letter to the Prime Minister ahead of the Comprehensive Spending Review, the Prime Minister has been warned he is on course to miss his own target of halving violence against women and girls, as vital support services are being “pushed to the brink” by funding cuts and soaring costs.

Letter to the Prime Minister

Domestic Abuse Commissioner for England and Wales
2 Marsham Street, London, SW1P 4JA
commissioner@domesticabusecommissioner.independent.gov.uk

Baroness Newlove of Warrington
Victims’ Commissioner for England and Wales
6th Floor, 102 Petty France, London, SW1H 9AJ
victims.commissioner@victimscommissioner.org.uk

3rd June 2025

Rt Hon Sir Keir Starmer MP
Prime Minister
10 Downing Street, London, SW1A 2AA

Dear Prime Minister,

Putting victims first and bringing perpetrators to justice were the guarantees this government gave when it took office.

With domestic abuse at epidemic levels and victims of rape and sexual violence waiting years to receive justice due to record court backlogs, confidence in our justice system is being severely eroded. We welcomed the government’s overarching mission to make our streets safer – and your personal commitment to halving violence against women and girls within a decade.

Yet nearly a year on from the election, we are becoming increasingly concerned that efforts to tackle this national emergency are playing out much as they have before. We are concerned funding cuts and scaled back ambition are leading to piecemeal policies. Instead, we need a clear, well-funded national approach to prevent and respond to abuse, violence, and exploitation of women and girls.

We recognise and understand the difficult challenges this government is facing economically, domestically and internationally but victims and survivors subject to violence and abuse were promised change.

Victims must not pay the price for the prison capacity crisis. While difficult choices must be made, proposals announced in the Sentencing Review would see offenders released back onto our streets, risking victims’ safety.

At the same time, victim support services are being pushed to the brink – hit by funding cuts and rising costs, while demand grows and waiting lists lengthen.

You know as well as we do, how critical these services are to ensuring victims get the support they need to escape a dangerous situation and stay engaged in the pursuit of justice.

We all want to see the vision you set out – one where violence against women is stamped out everywhere – delivered upon. But right now, this is at risk.
Following the same path as before will not give victims the confidence that justice will be served if they report a crime to the police. It will not build a society where children learn the value of consent, respect and healthy relationships. Nor will it enable life-saving services struggling to stay afloat to keep their doors open.

Next week the Chancellor will set out departmental spending plans for the next three years. In these decisions is a chance to define your – and this government’s – legacy for all victims and survivors.

With bold and ambitious investment, we can finally tackle the systemic stain of violence and abuse, one that would see us get to grips with misogyny, ensure victims can recover from trauma and build a criminal justice system that delivers for survivors every single time.

Tackling violence against women and girls will only be achieved if it is given the political attention it deserves. This means casting aside sticking plaster solutions and instead providing local authorities, public and specialist services as well as wider society with the tools and investment needed to ensure we can truly prevent harm. The cost of inaction is one this country can no longer afford.

Yours sincerely,

Dame Nicole Jacobs
Domestic Abuse Commissioner for England and Wales

Baroness Newlove LLD (hc) DCL
Victims’ Commissioner for England and Wales