MORE than £1.16m is to be allocated to Cumbria to support victims of domestic abuse.

The support will be awarded as part of the Government's Domestic Abuse Bill and will see Cumbria County Council receive £995,779.

A further £32,315 will be given to Carlisle City Council, £34,823 to Copeland Council, £33,354 to Eden Council, £33,072 to South Lakeland Council and £32,057 to Allerdale Council.

It is part of £125m that will be distributed to councils across England.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said the funding "will help ensure victims and their children who need it are able to access life-saving support such as therapy, advocacy and counselling in safe accommodation, including refuges."

Cumbria County Council has not yet determined how its funding will be distributed across the county.

Under the new bill, councils will be required to provide support to domestic abuse victims and their children within safe accommodation services, where needs have been identified.

Vicky Pike, project manager for Freedom Project West Cumbria, which helps survivors to move on from and avoid future abusive relationships; perpetrators to change their behaviour; and children and young people to recover from the trauma of living with domestic and sexual abuse, said: "It is amazing that Cumbria has been given such a huge amount that can help the victims and children that are fleeing domestic abuse.

"But it is not a long-term solution.

"It is great to see the Government is actually taking notice and providing the funding to help victims.

"They have done a lot since Covid, funding wise, that is going to help victims.

"When victims reach out there are a lot of other issues as well as domestic abuse, such as debt and housing.

"It will be amazing to be able to give that extra support."

Trudy Harrison, MP for Copeland, said: “It is vital victims of domestic abuse feel they have somewhere to turn for help and the £995,779 funding package for Cumbria County Council is a further step towards breaking the cycle of these horrific crimes.“It is clear the Government is committed to supporting the most vulnerable in society through a package of measures and this latest funding will ensure those who need to access safe accommodation and the support services they need to recover and rebuild their lives are able to do so.”

The funding will come into force later this year with the passage of the Domestic Abuse Bill.