refuge

What refuge does

Refuge is a UK-registered charity founded in 1971 that operates the country's largest specialist domestic abuse service infrastructure. Its core offering is a 44-refuge accommodation network providing safe temporary housing for women and children escaping abuse, complemented by a nationwide community outreach programme, independent advocacy (including IDVA services), and culturally-specific and gender-based violence services. The organisation runs the National Domestic Abuse Helpline (0808 2000 247) 24/7, handling more than 50,000 calls and contacts annually, and operates live chat and digital channels for crisis support. Its specialist Technology-Facilitated Abuse and Economic Empowerment (TFAEE) team and "Secure Your Tech" service address the rising intersection of digital control and economic abuse, with referrals rising 205% between 2018 and 2024. The organisation also delivers regional commissioned services such as the Hertfordshire IDVA Service and IRIS services in Wandsworth and Merton, with sector-specific partnerships (e.g., Dogs Trust, Cats Protection) providing pet fostering to remove barriers to escape.

Refuge's revenue model is diversified charitable income streams: individual donations (one-time and monthly giving at £5–£25/month tiers), corporate Charity-of-the-Year partnerships, philanthropy and trust grants, legacy bequests, sponsored events (London Marathon, Ironwoman, Step4Change), merchandise sales (including the Omaze Million Pound House Draw), and statutory/commissioner funding for housing and IDVA services. The operating geography is England and Wales, structured as a company limited by guarantee (No. 1412276), registered charity (No. 277424), and registered housing provider (No. 4730). Distribution is through owned digital channels (website, social media on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, WhatsApp), third-party fundraising platforms (JustGiving, Tiltify, Omaze, Engaging Networks), and direct service delivery via the 44 physical refuges plus the helpline. Governance is via a Board of Trustees (chaired by Hetti Barkworth-Nanton) and Senior Leadership Team (Abigail Ampofo as Interim CEO, per March 2024). The technology stack is operational/transactional (Stripe, PayPal, Rapidata, PCI DSS-compliant payments) rather than AI-driven, with no proprietary AI/ML capabilities disclosed.

Name

refuge

Legal name

Refuge

Website

https://refuge.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1971

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Refuge is the UK's largest specialist domestic abuse charity, operating 44 refuges and the 24/7 National Domestic Abuse Helpline to support women, children, and others escaping abuse, with services spanning safe housing, independent advocacy, tech-facilitated abuse support, and community outreach across England and Wales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Domestic Abuse Support Services

NAICS

Community Housing Services (62422), Temporary Shelters (624221), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Domestic Violence & Abuse Support Services (BPAGAEAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Protection Services (GBV, Child Protection, Legal Aid) (BPADADAH), Homelessness Prevention, Shelter & Supportive Housing Services (BPAIANAC)

Keywords

• Domestic abuse support
• Survivor refuge accommodation
• Domestic violence helpline
• Independent advocacy services
• Technology-facilitated abuse support

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: Individual donations via website, direct mail, and third-party platforms including JustGiving; monthly giving programs; one-time gifts; and tribute donations in memory of loved ones
2. Corporate Partnerships: Charity of the Year partnerships with businesses, corporate sponsorships, and workplace giving programs
3. Philanthropy and Trusts: Grant funding from charitable trusts and foundations supporting specific service programs
4. Legacies and Wills: Gifts left in wills and legacies from supporters
5. Events and Challenges: Sponsored events including London Marathon places, Ironwoman challenge, Step4Change walks, and community fundraising events
6. Merchandise Sales: Sale of celebration items (wedding place cards, confetti), branded merchandise, and partnership with Omaze for house draw fundraising
7. Social Housing: Registered housing provider providing safe accommodation services in refuges

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Refuge provides free specialist support services for women and children experiencing domestic abuse, centered on safe temporary accommodation across 44 refuges and the 24/7 National Domestic Abuse Helpline. Its service portfolio also includes independent advocacy, community outreach, IDVA programmes, economic abuse recovery, technology-facilitated abuse support, culturally-specific services, children's support workers and gender-based violence services such as Athena.

Product overview

Refuge offers a comprehensive suite of domestic abuse support services centered around its core accommodation and advocacy offerings. The organization operates 44 refuges providing safe housing with one-to-one emotional and practical support, complemented by community outreach services for those not requiring shelter. Key service modules include the National Domestic Abuse Helpline (24/7 freephone and live chat), independent advocacy (IDVA) services, economic abuse support, and a specialist Technology-Facilitated Abuse and Economic Empowerment (TFAEE) team. Additional modules address culturally-specific needs, gender-based violence services (Athena), children's support, and specialist regional services including Hertfordshire IDVA and IRIS services in Wandsworth and Merton. The organization also runs fundraising programmes including Step4Change walking challenges and Convo4Change conversation events.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Refuge Tech Safety: Technology-Facilitated Abuse and Economic Empowerment (TFAEE) team providing specialist support for tech-facilitated abuse

Products and services

• Refuge Accommodation (Refuges) Safe, temporary accommodation across 44 refuges for women and children escaping domestic abuse, with access to one-to-one emotional and practical support.
• Independent Advocacy Advocacy and support to help survivors understand their rights and options, with support navigating civil and criminal courts, housing, health and education systems.
• Community Support Services Outreach worker support for survivors in their homes or safe places within the community, for those who do not need refuge accommodation.
• Economic Abuse Support Specialist support to help survivors regain control over their finances and resources that abusers may seek to deny or control.
• Tech Abuse / Secure Your Tech Support to help survivors secure their technology and take back control of their lives from technology-facilitated abuse, harassment or intimidation.
• National Domestic Abuse Helpline Free, confidential 24/7 freephone helpline (0808 2000 247) with live chat (Monday-Friday 10am-10pm, weekends 10am-6pm) providing crisis support, information and referrals for domestic abuse survivors.
• Support for Children Specialist support services for children who have witnessed or experienced domestic abuse, including access to children's support workers in refuges.
• Culturally-Specific Services Specialist services adapted to meet the specific cultural needs of survivors from diverse backgrounds.
• Gender-Based Violence Services (Athena) Gender-based abuse services run by Refuge, including the Athena service in Lewisham.
• Children's Support Workers Specialist support workers providing emotional and practical assistance to children living in refuges with their mothers.
• Hertfordshire IDVA Service Independent Domestic Violence Advocate (IDVA) service providing dedicated advocacy support to high-risk survivors in Hertfordshire.
• IRIS Services (Wandsworth and Merton) Specialist domestic abuse referral and support service embedded in healthcare settings in the Wandsworth and Merton areas.
• IDVA Programme Training and programme for Independent Domestic Violence Advocates supporting high-risk survivors of domestic abuse.
• Technology-Facilitated Abuse and Economic Empowerment (TFAEE) Team Specialist team (Refuge Tech Safety) addressing technology-facilitated abuse and economic abuse, with referrals rising 205% between 2018 and 2024.

Quantifiable outcome

• 50,000+ calls answered annually on National Domestic Abuse Helpline
• +3 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Dogs Trust Freedom ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDog fostering service covering Greater London, Home Counties, East Anglia, Yorkshire, North of England and Scotland. Dogs are cared for by volunteer foster carers until owners are able to be reunited, removing pet ownership as a barrier to escaping domestic abuse. All food and veterinary costs covered by Dogs Trust.
• Endeavour (Paws for Kids)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPet fostering service covering Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Merseyside. Accepts all domestic pets including dogs, cats, small furries, and birds. Foster placements run for the length of time women are in refuge/hostel (average 4-5 months).
• Pet Fostering Service ScotlandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPet fostering service covering Scotland, allowing survivors with pets to access refuge services without abandoning their animals.
• Cats Protection LifelinecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCat fostering service covering London/South East, Yorkshire, East Anglia, and Midlands regions. Cats over 6 months placed in volunteer foster homes until owners can be reunited. Free service with all food and vet costs covered.
• National Domestic Abuse HelplinecoreOthersRefuge runs the National Domestic Abuse Helpline (freephone 0808 2000 247), the UK's primary 24/7 helpline for domestic abuse survivors, providing crisis support, information, and referrals.
• OmazeflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership for Million Pound House Draw fundraising. Omaze house draw raises funds for Refuge while offering prize of Yorkshire house worth over £4,500,000 plus £500,000 cash. Creates high-profile awareness opportunity while generating significant fundraising revenue.
• JustGivingcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThird-party fundraising platform used for event registrations, individual fundraising pages, and campaign collections. Primary platform for community fundraising activities.
• TiltifyminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLivestream fundraising platform for streamers to raise money for Refuge during gaming or other online streaming activities.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Women's Aid Federation of England: The UK-wide federated charity supporting women and children experiencing domestic abuse; directly comparable in mission, survivor services, and policy advocacy, operating a federation of local refuge services versus Refuge's directly-operated 44 refuges.
• Hestia: London-based charity providing refuges, IDVA services, and domestic abuse support; a directly comparable regional peer with overlapping service lines and similar operational scale.
• SafeLives: UK charity focused on domestic abuse service quality, training, and the DA Matters/Dash risk-assessment tools used by IDVAs and MARACs; a specialist peer operating in Refuge's same professional ecosystem.
• Scottish Women's Aid: National umbrella organisation for domestic abuse services in Scotland, operating refuges and a national helpline; directly comparable in service portfolio and national-coordination role, and a regional peer given Refuge's England-only refuge footprint.
• National Domestic Violence Hotline (US): US 24/7 helpline and referral service for domestic violence survivors; directly comparable to Refuge's operation of the National Domestic Abuse Helpline in terms of crisis-line infrastructure and referral logic.
• Women's Aid (Northern Ireland): Regional domestic abuse charity providing refuge accommodation and advocacy across Northern Ireland; directly comparable service mix (refuges, helpline, advocacy) and a key geographic peer for Refuge's UK-wide mission.
• Respect: UK charity running the Men's Advice Line and perpetrator-intervention programmes; a directly comparable specialist domestic abuse peer operating adjacent survivor-facing services and policy work.

Broad incumbents

• Safe Horizon: Large US nonprofit providing domestic violence, shelter, and broader victim-services programmes; broader scope than Refuge but highly comparable in the domestic abuse sub-vertical and large-scale shelter/helpline delivery.
• NSPCC: Large UK children's charity operating the national Helpline and child-protection services; comparable in scale, brand recognition, and 24/7 helpline infrastructure, with overlap in Refuge's child-witness support work.

Regional players

• Women's Refuge (New Zealand): New Zealand's national domestic abuse organisation providing shelters and crisis services; closely comparable mission and operating model, but operates in a different geography (NZ vs UK).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• Instagraminstagram.com/refugecharity
• TikToktiktok.com/@refugecharity
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/refuge

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about refuge