Free from Fear Programme reopens for applications
Every 30 seconds, the police receive a call for help relating to domestic abuse.
In 2024/25 we awarded over £1M to seven major projects under our Free from Fear programme which seeks to address and prevent domestic abuse within serving armed forces communities.
Today, we’re opening this programme for a second year of applications which will achieve one or more of the following outcomes.
- Effective measures are delivered to prevent incidences of domestic abuse within armed forces communities and these address emerging and current challenges.
- Clear routes are provided which enable victim-survivors from armed forces communities to access effective support, including the ability to recognise and report domestic abuse.
- Sustainable improvements and adaptations are made to service provision to meet the evolving support needs of victim-survivors from armed forces communities.
Grants of £75,000 to £150,000 are available for projects lasting one-to-two years.
Why are we running this programme?
“I waited until he calmed down and he put the knife down, and he had gone into another room to tidy something up or something like that, and I sneaked past him on the stairs and ran out the house. […]” ~ an account from a victim-survivor of domestic abuse in the military community.
Source: Journal of Family Violence in 2022.
Domestic abuse happens in all cultures and social groups. Research by Kings College London (KCL), jointly funded by the MOD, found increased prevalence of intimate partner violence and abuse (IPVA) in armed forces communities compared to the general population.
The projects we funded under Free from Fear last year cover many aspects of much needed support and awareness of this issue. From a UK-wide helpline, work to spot the early signs of abuse; development of training programmes; addressing behaviour change; developing support networks for victim-survivors; and ultimately creating and maintaining strong links within communities, the military and beyond.
What’s new for 2025/26?
This year, we have widened eligibility to apply for this funding, and we can now accept applications from:
- registered charities and CICs with recent, relevant experience in the field of domestic abuse
- local authorities
- NHS bodies
- armed forces units/bases.
Full eligibility guidance is available on our Free from Fear programme page.
Find out more
Head to our Free from Fear programme page for full details about this important programme, including how to apply.
You can also read about the projects we funded last year.
Application deadline is 2 July 2025.