The Department for Communities and Local Government has today announced a £10 million national fund to protect our network of specialist refuges. Women’s Aid is delighted to welcome this commitment, made off the back of the SOS Save Refuges, Save Lives campaign. It is vital however, that this fund is matched with a commitment to exploring a new model of funding for refuges that supports them in the long-term and we call on the Government to commit to this. This £10 million fund will provide a life-line for many refuges at risk of closure and should help ensure high quality specialist services can continue their life-saving work. We are now committed to working with the Government, and all main Political parties, to find a viable long term model of funding and commissioning for specialist refuges. Women’ s Aid launched the SOS Save Refuges, Save Lives campaign in September this year in an attempt to halt and reverse the decimation of the national network of refuges through vicious funding cuts and problematic commissioning processes. The campaign called on the Government to commit to protecting our national network of specialist refuges and to exploring a new model of funding and commissioning that supports a sustainable services and high quality care. We are pleased the Government has listened to our SOS, the voices of survivors of domestic violence and the services that protect them.