- Project focus: Emergency refuge
- Who it supports: Women and children fleeing domestic abuse
- Housing created: One emergency housing pod for short-term stays
One of the first women’s refuges to be set up in England, Women’s Aid Luton has over 50 years of experience supporting women and children fleeing domestic abuse. Their services include practical help, emotional support and safe temporary accommodation, to help individuals and families rebuild their lives in safety. In 2024/25 they supported 925 women, with 59 housed across their five Luton-based refuges.
The Rapid Refuge project will install a new self-contained emergency housing pod within the secure grounds of an existing refuge, and will include a bathroom, kitchenette and sleeping area. This will provide immediate, short-term accommodation for women and children who cannot access refuge spaces at the point of crisis, expected to help up to 30 women and 20 children per year. Those who use the service will then be supported into longer-term refuge or appropriate housing.
This project fills a critical gap between immediate crisis and longer-term refuge provision, designed to prevent street homelessness or the return to an abusive partner. As a new approach within the domestic abuse sector, it will be evaluated and shared more widely to inform future emergency housing models.
