Creating Homes to Rebuild Lives

“To escape an abusive situation, to take those difficult steps to flee to safety, often with children, takes a tremendous amount of courage. However, rather than a fresh start, many are faced with sleeping on dirty floorboards, without any kitchen essentials like a cooker or a fridge, and this can mean survivors return to their abusers, where at least their child had a bed and they could prepare a meal.” – Jess Phillips,

This report from End Furniture Poverty, produced with Furnishing Futures, explores how furniture poverty affects survivors of domestic abuse and why access to essential furniture, appliances, flooring, and window coverings must be recognised as a vital part of safety, dignity, and recovery.

Drawing on research, policy analysis and powerful survivor testimony, the report shows that an empty property can undermine mental health, worsen financial hardship, affect children’s wellbeing and, in some cases, increase the risk of survivors returning to an abusive situation because they cannot meet their family’s basic needs.

The report advocates for a greater use of furnished tenancies for survivors and stronger local crisis support. It also calls for improved data collection and reform across housing and social security policy. We, together with Furnishing Futures, implore social landlords, local authorities, and Government to work together so that survivors are not left to rebuild their lives from an empty shell.

A safe home must be more than four walls and a roof. It must be secure, liveable, and equipped with the essentials people need to start again.