PCC welcomes an extra £500,000 for vulnerable victims on Merseyside

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Jane being interviewed

Victims of domestic abuse and sexual violence across Merseyside will be helped with strengthened support after the region’s Police Commissioner secured nearly £500,000 of additional funding from the Government.

A total of £480,000 has been awarded by the Ministry of Justice for schemes in Merseyside as part of its recently-announced package of additional funding for services supporting victims through the Covid-19 crisis.

The emergency funding has been awarded to meet the additional costs that charities or social enterprises face as a result of adapting their services during the pandemic, and to cope with associated increases in demand. It is set to run until the end of October 2020.

This funding is ring-fenced into three funds which will be distributed by the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC):

  • Domestic abuse services that are already commissioned by the PCC (£241,000);
  • Domestic abuse services that are not currently commissioned by the PCC (£120,500);
  • Sexual violence services that are already commissioned by the PCC, and those that are not currently funded by the PCC (£120,500).

Merseyside’s Police Commissioner Jane Kennedy said: “This additional funding is very welcome news for the dedicated organisations which work tirelessly to support victims of some of the most devastating crimes and those that sadly rely on the vital support these crucial services provide.

“I already provide funding to a wide range of victim support organisations, but this global pandemic has created some extraordinary challenges. The funding will help strengthen these charities and social enterprises to ensure they can adapt during these challenging times and that victims of domestic abuse and sexual violence can continue to receive the support they need.

“There is a very tight timescale for allocating this funding across Merseyside and my team is already in the process of contacting our existing partners to make them aware of the funding opportunities and the process for applications. There may be other charities and social enterprises who could benefit from this funding that we are not currently in discussion with. If so, I would urge them to find out more on the website for the Community Foundation for Merseyside, who are going to assist us in allocating this funding.”

Applications for funding from organisations that do not currently work with the Police and Crime Commissioner will be administered by the Community Foundation for Merseyside (CFM), an independent charity which assists grant-making and charitable giving. CFM is also available to help any organisation looking to make a bid.

The closing date for applications is 5pm on Friday 29th May 2020.

Find out more and apply at https://cfmerseyside.org.uk/funds/covid-19-domestic-abuse-services-fund

Approximately £20m of funding support has been made available to Police and Crime Commissioners across England and Wales, as part of a wider £76m funding package provided by the Government with the aim of supporting victims and survivors of domestic abuse, sexual violence, vulnerable children and their families during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Anyone affected by crime can visit www.VictimCareMerseyside.org for help and support.