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Restored’s message to new Prime Minister Andy Burnham

Posted by Jenni James on 20 July 2026

We know that as Mr Burnham takes on this role, there will be many pressing issues requiring his careful thought and attention; we pray for wisdom for the Prime Minister as he makes his initial plans. Restored welcomes his stated ambitions to ease the impact of the cost of living crisis and to tackle rough sleeping, and we hope that any steps taken here will serve to increase access to safety for victims and survivors of domestic abuse who are living on low income or at risk of homelessness, which can drastically reduce the likelihood of seeking safety. 

What can’t be understated is how vital it is for this new government to uphold Keir Starmer’s commitment to halving Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) within a decade. We are still facing an epidemic: as the Restored Survivors Network grows to almost a thousand members, we see each day the devastating impact of domestic abuse on women and children across the country. Combined with the many other forms of gender-based violence faced by so many, not least the rapidly advancing threat of tech-facilitated and online abuse, life in the UK is far from safe for women and girls.  

The postcode lottery of service provision still remains; overstretched, underfunded services are unable to keep up with demand. Women are left at risk of harm as they wait for vital support, and support workers become overwhelmed and burnt out. The Prime Minister should ensure that listening to survivors and collaborating with specialist services is central to his decision making, so that all strategy is truly survivor-centred. We particularly urge Mr Burnham to continue work to improve the experience of survivors in the Family Court system, making sure that the safety of both adult and child victims and survivors is paramount. 

This change in leadership must not result in a loss of momentum in efforts to prevent and respond to Violence Against Women and Girls. 

Last week Restored CEO Bekah Legg was privileged to be in parliament with Jess Asato MP, Baroness Hyde and The Domestic Abuse Commissioner. Together we affirmed our shared desire to see faith spaces recognised within the government’s VAWG strategy as important places for survivors to find support, as well as being influential groups with the potential to challenge and change our culture for the better.  

We ask Andy Burnham to confirm his commitment to ending VAWG as a matter of urgency, providing adequate funding and empowering local governments to shore up and support specialist VAWG services, including by effectively engaging with faith communities. Restored will continue to support survivors and work alongside local churches to this end, and we look forward to seeing how the new Prime Minister will stand with us as we work towards our vision for a world where women live free from the fear of violence.