Investing to save: Domestic abuse and CSR

This page provides our response to the 2021 Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR) explaining the need for a comprehensive, sustainable ‘invest to save’ programme to end domestic abuse for everyone for good.

In response to the Comprehensive Spending Review, Suzanne Jacob, CEO of SafeLives, highlights the opportunity that the Domestic Abuse Act, CSR and the Victim’s Bill offer in tackling domestic abuse and providing an effective, systemic response.

This response explains how the human and financial impacts of domestic abuse in a post-COVID environment can be dealt with  in a targeted and cost effective way. Evidence supports the need for a holistic approach that looks at the whole family and all their needs, beyond the criminal justice system and starting sooner.

We estimate £2.2bn is required to appropriately support adult and child victims, as well as interventions for the perpetrators who cause the harm. This is a significant investment which should only be delivered over time, but further investment in quality-assured interventions will deliver human and bankable savings right now, as well as cost avoidance later down the line. If we can reduce poor behaviour or the impact of abuse by a tiny percentage through early intervention, this delivers a significant spend to save case as the costs are so huge. We also know this needs to be a pan-Government conversation. The departments who could be funding early intervention are not the departments where the costs are incurred.

The contents of this 23-page report include:

• Summary (as submitted via CSR portal)
• CSR submission summary
• Summary: The domestic abuse response now
  • Domestic abuse cost £66bn in 2016/17 alone (Govt figs)
  • The response now: Covid has exacerbated urgency, severity, complexity
  • Case audit: A whole family picture
  • The response now: Case audit – Interventions and Referrals
  • The response now: Dept of Health has earliest visibility and bears highest direct costs, but is not involved in proactive, preventative work
• The costs
  • The cost now: Annual system (cash) cost
  • The cost now: Annual economic, human & emotional (QALYs) cost
  • The costs accrued over time: costs accruing for children at high risk show cashable benefits of early intervention
• What’s the solution?
  • Beacon sites 1.0
  • Drive
  • Marac/Idva
• Our proposition: Building back better
• Additional material.