The ‘Circle Fund’ will be open to frontline specialist services supporting victims of economic and domestic abuse. It will provide crisis intervention, increase safety and help support recovery and resilience.
NatWest Group has announced that applications from frontline specialist services supporting victims and survivors of domestic abuse will open for ‘The Circle Fund’ in partnership with SafeLives; the UK-wide charity dedicated to ending domestic abuse, for everyone and for good.
Economic abuse is a form of domestic abuse, which is characterised in relationships by controlling a person’s ability to acquire, use and maintain their own money and financial resources. According to the Office for National Statistics, lockdown saw a major surge in domestic abuse calls to helplines
This follows the announcement of NatWest donating £1m for the Fund last year, the first bank in the UK to offer this amount of financial support to domestic and economic abuse victims and survivors. SafeLives and NatWest have worked together with survivors and specialist domestic abuse services to co-create the programme, making sure the lived experience of survivors influences its design.
After a successful pilot across nine specialist frontline services, ‘The Circle Fund’ will now be open for applications from services across the UK. It will offer 150 services the opportunity to receive funding to distribute to those most in need. Applications are strongly encouraged from smaller organisations supporting communities marginalised because of their race, LGBT+ identity or disability.
My Sister’s Place, an independent specialist ‘One Stop Shop’ for women aged 16 or over experiencing domestic violence, received funding as part of the pilot. When Sarah* presented to My Sister’s Place, her children were under a Child Protection Plan and were living with her parents. Sarah had left her abusive partner and wanted to get her children back and regain control of her life. Through the Fund, she was able to purchase tablet computers so that the children could video call the grandparents. The tablets assisted with accessing online learning and activities during the pandemic. My Sister’s Place were also able to support Sarah with purchasing beds, bedding for the children and flooring.
Together with partners SafeLives and Surviving Economic Abuse, NatWest is already working to ensure that vulnerable customers are protected at this challenging time. NatWest customers can:
- Report their circumstances using their secure online form
- Conduct secure confidential conversations with our dedicated experts at a safe time for them
- Access existing support services including online banking and mobile app access as well as the ability to open a new secure account in their sole name
Further sources of information and advice for victims and survivors
