Page 1 | Page 2 | Page 3 | Page 4

You may be able to claim double housing benefit for up to a year to pay rent on your main property and any temporary accommodation. This can give you time to decide your next steps.

Ongoing safety
You can use the law to protect yourself and your children from a violent partner, to stop him intimidating you or coming near you or your home (see interdicts and non-harassment orders in section 7).

You can contact the police domestic abuse liaison officer for advice on making your home secure (see also section 2 on safety). The police may install a panic alarm in your house.

Contact
Housing/homelessness: phone the Homeless Hotline on 0800 169 1611. You can ask to see a response officer (who deals with homelessness) of either gender and at any council office you choose.

• Legal protection: contact East Lothian Women’s Aid who can put you in touch with a local solicitor.
• Emergency: phone the police on 999 or, if it’s a housing emergency 0800 169 1611.

For details of sources of help and support see section 12

Phone the Scottish Domestic Abuse Helpline in confidence on 0800 027 1234 any time, day or night.

Next Page | Previous Page