PCD 1767 Ministry of Justice Funding 2025/26 (Victims and VAWG)

Executive Summary:  

The Mayor is determined to see that victims of crime in London are better supported as a result of the steps set out in his Police and Crime Plan 2022-25. He is clear that the police, justice agencies and other partner organisations must work together if support is to be improved for victims pursuing their case through the justice process and for those who choose not to report.  

MOPAC receives funding from the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) to contribute to victim and witness support services MOPAC commissions in London. This funding previously came to MOPAC via two multi-year grant agreements from the MoJ (known as Core and General) covering financial years 2022/23, 2023/24, and 2024/25.    

 On 2 December 2024, the MoJ confirmed the allocation of funding to MOPAC for 2025/26, extending these grant agreements until 31 March 2026. This now enables MOPAC to formally extend funding where applicable for relevant organisations providing services supporting victims and witnesses in London until 31 March 2025. This includes those grants managed by the UK Community Foundation through MOPAC’s Grant Administration Services contract (PCD 1196 refers).  

 This decision seeks approval to accept the confirmed grant funding, sign the MoJ grant agreement/addendums, and manage the onward distribution of the funding to victim and witness services.

Recommendation:  

The Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime is recommended to:   

1. Accept the now confirmed Core and General Grant funding of £9,981,911.06 and £12,362,832.67 respectively, from the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) for victim and witness services in London and for budgets to be updated accordingly.  

2. Approve the onward allocation of this grant funding to all relevant victim and witness services in receipt of this funding.  

3. Approve the modification to MOPAC’s Grant Administration Services contract with UK Community Foundation of £49,952.05 and the transference of applicable grant funding of £1,536,986 to the London Community Foundation, to enable them to continue to manage all applicable grants on MOPAC’s behalf for 2025/26.   

4. Delegate authority to the MOPAC Chief Financial Officer to sign the necessary grant agreement/ addendums to accept this funding from the MoJ.  

5. Delegate authority to the MOPAC Chief Finance Officer to sign the applicable grant modifications and contract variations to the existing grant agreements and contracts to disperse this funding. 

PART I - NON-CONFIDENTIAL FACTS AND ADVICE TO THE DMPC 

1. Introduction and background 

1. Since 2014, responsibility for regional commissioning of victim services has been devolved to Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs). The funding to enable this comes from the Ministry of Justice's (MoJ) Victims Fund and Sexual Violence Local Commissioning Test Fund (formerly known as the Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Fund), provided to MOPAC via two grant agreements – Core Grant and General Grant. 

2. This funding has traditionally been used to pay for core victims services including: the London Victim and Witness Service; Children’s and Young People’s Service; and Rape Crisis Centres. In addition, the MoJ has provided additional funding in recent years, including the ringfenced Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence funding (PCD 1235, PCD 1440, PCD 1445, PCD 1600, PCD 1622 and PCD 1687) under its General Grant and additional ‘Core Grant’ funding in September 2022 (PCD 1300) and August 2023 (PCD 1445). 

3. PCD 1068, PCD 1306, and PCD 1526 all approved funding, including contract and/or grant variations and modifications, for all applicable services supporting victims of crime and Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) in London up until 31 March 2025.  

4. Whilst MOPAC awaited formal confirmation from the MoJ on its funding allocations beyond 31 March 2025, it needed to proceed with recommissioning activity as services contracts and grants naturally came to an end. PCD 1517, PCD 1691, PCD 1706, and PCD 1713, therefore all approved funding including contract and/or grant variations and modifications, for all applicable services supporting victims of crime and Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) in London. However, these decisions stipulated that the budgets were indicative and were dependent on the MoJ informing MOPAC of its funding allocations for future years.  

5. In December 2024, the MoJ confirmed the allocation of funding to MOPAC for 2025/26, extending its grant agreements until 31 March 2026. This now enables MOPAC to formally extend funding where applicable for relevant organisations providing services supporting victims and witnesses in London. This includes those grants managed by the UK Community Foundation through MOPAC’s current Grant Administration Services contract (PCD 1196 refers).  

6. This decision seeks approval to accept, sign the MoJ grant agreement/addendums, and manage onward distribution of the funds (where an existing decision does not already approve). A breakdown of the confirmed funding allocations for 2025/26 totalling £22,344,743.73 is included in the Table 1 below.  

7. Please note, the MoJ have advised that to allow for more local flexibility of commissioning, the ringfenced funding streams under previous General grant allocations have now been amalgamated into one single ringfenced grant element for ‘Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence victim support services’.  

2. Issues for consideration  

1. To accept this funding, MOPAC is required to sign Addendums to its Core and General Grant Agreements from the MoJ which set out the conditions by which this funding is to be spent and the reporting requirements. The Addendums do not require match funding from MOPAC. MOPAC will incorporate these requirements in the grant agreements and contracts for services that are funded from this source. 

2. The reporting requirements for this funding include the submission of mid-year and end of year performance returns as well signing a statement confirming compliance with the terms and conditions of the funding. 

3. The funding will be distributed by MOPAC by varying existing grants and contracts where a decision has not already been secured to approve, as laid out below. This decision delegates authority to the Chief Finance Officer to sign the variations and modifications for the applicable contracts and grant agreements to disburse this funding to the relevant organisations. 

4. In addition, in order for the grants managed on behalf of MOPAC by the London Community Foundation, acting in partnership with UK Community Foundations, to be extended and the funding distributed for 2025/26, there is a requirement for MOPAC to vary its existing Grant Administration Services contract by £49,952.05 until 31 March 2026. This will increase the total value of the contract by more than the stated maximum total contract value, and such a variation has been agreed only as a one-off exception due to the short notice receipt of the extension of the MoJ Grant Addendum.  

5. Baroness Casey’s review into the standards of behaviour and internal culture of the MPS found it to be institutionally misogynistic and homophobic. The de-prioritisation and de-specialisation of public protection, including an overworked and inexperienced workforce and lack of infrastructure, has put women at greater risk than necessary. The MPS is not prioritising the crimes that affect most women and girls. The relationship between London’s LGBTQ+ community has been significantly damaged. Trust in the Met has fallen significantly amongst the LGBTQ+ community. 

6. The MPS’ New Met for London Plan commits to protecting the most vulnerable and those Londoners who are most likely to be at highest risk of harm from crime, focusing resources to protect and remove them from harm. 

7. Providing specialist tailored support to victims of crime and those supporting cases through the criminal justice process is crucial to both ensuring they receive the support and/or criminal justice outcomes they deserve and improving the trust and confidence in the MPS of London’s women and girls and its LGBT+ communities. 

3. Financial Comments 

1. This decision requests authority to accept £22,344,743.73 in grant funding from the MoJ in 2025/26 for the provision of victim services in London. The annual allocations and ring-fenced amounts are set out in paragraph 1.7 above. The Commissioning and Partnerships 2025/26 budget will be updated in the Final Budget Submission to reflect this grant funding. 

2. Approval is also being sought to transfer MoJ funding totalling £2,283,013 to extend grant arrangements with some of the existing providers per the breakdown at 2.3. These will be funded from the Commissioning and Partnerships 2025/26 budget. 

3. It is noted the grant awards require no match funding from MOPAC. 

4. The modification to MOPAC’s Grant Administration Services contract with UK Community Foundation of £49,952.05 and the transference of applicable grant funding of £1,536,986 to the London Community Foundation will be funded from the Commissioning and Partnerships 2025/26 budget.  

4. Legal Comments  

1. MOPAC’s general powers are set out in the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 (the 2011 Act). Section 3(6) of the 2011 Act provides that MOPAC must “secure the maintenance of the metropolitan police service and secure that the metropolitan police service is efficient and effective.” Under Schedule 3, paragraph 7 (1) MOPAC has wide incidental powers to “do anything which is calculated to facilitate, or is conducive or incidental to, the exercise of the functions of the Office.” Paragraph 7(2) (a) provides that this includes entering into contracts and other agreements. 

2. Section 143 (1) (b) of the Anti-Social, Behaviour Crime and Policing Act 2014 provides for MOPAC to provide or commission services “intended by the local policing body to help victims or witnesses of, or other persons affected by, offences and anti-social behaviour.” 

3. There are further relevant powers set out in the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 at sections 17(1) (a) to (c) which place MOPAC under a duty to exercise its functions with due regard to the likely effect of the exercise of those functions on, and the need to do all it can to prevent, crime and disorder (including anti-social and other behaviour adversely affecting the local environment), reoffending in its area, and the misuse of drugs, alcohol and other substances in its area. The proposed arrangements are consistent with MOPAC’s duties in the Crime and Disorder Act 1998. 

4. Paragraph 4.8 of the MOPAC Scheme of Delegation and Consent provides that the Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime (DMPC) has delegated authority to approve all offers of grant funding. 

5. Paragraph 4.8 of the MOPAC Scheme of Delegation and Consent provides that the DMPC has delegated authority to approve the award of all individual grants whether to secure or contribute to securing crime reduction in London or for other purposes. 

6. Paragraph 4.13 of the MOPAC Scheme of Delegation and Consent provides that the Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime (DMPC) has delegated authority to approve all requests to go out to tender for contracts of £500,000 or above.   

7. Paragraph 4.6 of the MOPAC Scheme of Delegation and Consent provides the DMPC authority to delegate those functions which are reserved for the DMPC. 

8. These recommendations are in line with the MOPAC Scheme of Delegation and Consent. 

9. Officers must ensure the Financial Regulations and Contract Regulations are complied with. 

10. Officers should ensure that the funding agreements are put in place with and executed by MOPAC and the provider before any commitment to fund is made. 

5. Commercial Issues 

1. The funding from the MoJ will be accepted via a Grant Addendum to the existing Grant Agreement issued to MOAPC by the MoJ. The acceptance of this funding is to be delegated to the Chief Finance Officer via affixing their electronic signature to the signed Grant Addendum letter sent from the MoJ.  

2. The onwards funding to the services outlined in 2.3 above will be awarded as a Grant under the terms and conditions of a Grant Agreement with each of the Providers. 

3. This Decision seeks to vary MOPAC’s existing contract with UK Community Foundation for Grant Administration Services by £49,952.05. This will increase the total value of the contract, reference GLA 82072, by more than the stated maximum total contract value, and such a variation has been agreed only as a one-off exception due to the short notice notification of MoJ funding. 

4. The actions proposed can be taken in compliance with procurement legislation and MOPAC’s Contract Regulations. 

6. Public Health Approach  

1. The VRU will be consulted on services commissioned using this funding to ensure alignment with VRU activity and wider public health approach to tackling violence in London.  

7. GDPR and Data Privacy  

1. MOPAC will adhere to the Data Protection Act (DPA) 2018 and ensure that any organisations who are commissioned to do work with or on behalf of MOPAC are fully compliant with the policy and understand their GDPR responsibilities.  

2. The extension to funding will not alter existing data protection measures in place for existing services. Where required, DPIAs will be updated to reflect the extension of corresponding services or funding.  

8. Equality Comments  

1. MOPAC is required to comply with the public sector equality duty set out in section 149(1) of the Equality Act 2010. This requires MOPAC to have due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations by reference to people with protected characteristics. The protected characteristics are: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation. 

2. MOPAC will ensure Equalities considerations form part of all work commissioned with this funding. As part of the quarterly performance monitoring of each service we collect demographics information, which helps us to understand who is accessing each service and how any barriers to accessing may be overcome.  

9. Background/supporting papers 

• PCD 1068 Violence Against Women and Girls - 2022/23 Commissioning Decisions 

• PCD 1196 Procurement of Grant Administration Services 

• PCD 1235 - Acceptance of MOJ funding 

• PCD 1300 - Additional 2022/23 Ministry of Justice Funding for services to victims of crime 

• PCD 1306 - Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls Commissioning decision 2023/2024 

• PCD 1440 Ministry of Justice Funding 2023-24 Sexual Violence Local Commissioning Test and Pre-Trial Outreach Service 

• PCD 1445 Ministry of Justice Additional Victims Funding 2023-24 

• PCD 1517 Victim Services Commissioning 

• PCD 1526 Violence Against Women and Girls Support Services – 24/25 Commissioning Decisions 

• PCD 1600 MoJ Additional ISVA/IDVA Funding 2023/24-2024/25 

• PCD 1622 MoJ Funding 2024/25 - SV Local Commissioning Test Fund 

• PCD 1687 Ministry of Justice Funding 2024/25 Pre-trial Support Services 

• PCD 1691 Commissioning of Domestic Abuse Victim Services for 2024/25 to 27/28 

• PCD 1706 Pan-London Sexual Violence Support Services Procurement Strategy 

• PCD 1713 Violence Against Women and Girls Commissioning Decisions - 2024-2029