Tackling violence, including domestic abuse and sexual violence
Decrease in crime
Total recorded crime in Coventry decreased in April 2023 to March 2024 by 10.1% from 42,867 in 2022/23 to 38,509 in 2023/24. This accounts for 106.8 crimes per 1,000 population. Total recorded crime in Coventry from 1 April 2024 to 31 July 2024 had reduced by 4.2% compared to the same period in 2023.
Out of the seven policing areas, Coventry ranked 2nd and accounted for 11.7% of total recorded crime (TRC) [2nd to Birmingham by volume. Coventry is ranked 4th highest by crimes per 1,000 pop; behind Solihull, Birmingham and Wolverhampton]. The top three offence types were 'Assault without injury - Common assault and battery', accounting for 11.2% of TRC (4,345 offences), compared to the previous year this is a decrease of -8.1%. 'Theft from shops and stalls was the second highest offence type, accounting for 6.7% of TRC (1,763), compared to the previous year this is an increase of +44.3%, followed by 'Theft from a motor vehicle' accounting for 6.2% of TRC (2,410), compared to the precious year this is a decrease of -17.4%.
Hate crime
Police in Coventry take hate crime very seriously and respond to and investigate all reported hate crime in the city. A Hate Crime report can now only be finalised by a Police Inspector (as opposed to a Sergeant), providing an extra level of scrutiny.
West Midland Police (WMP) recorded 884 hate crimes in Coventry during 2022/23 and 842 Hate Crimes in Coventry for 2023/24. The positive outcome* rate for Hate Crime in Coventry for 2022/23 was 10.79%, for 2023/24 was 12.59%. * a charge to court, criminal caution or community resolution where the offender admits responsibility and a sanction is recorded.
We have continued to deliver training courses to raise awareness of how to report incidents of Hate Crime. Targeted merchandise with details of how to report have been distributed across the city. Staff in family hubs have been trained on reporting incidents and supporting victims in making a report. We are currently running awareness training around the “Stand by ME” (standbyme.uk) campaign that gives anyone the tools to identify discrimination and how to support victims if they witness an incident.
Domestic abuse
Domestic abuse is largely a hidden crime with only 20% of cases being reported to the police. There is evidence that independent specialist support and advocacy is vital to the ongoing safety of victim-survivors providing emotional support, safety planning, reducing the risk of harm and improving recovery and outcomes. Coventry recognises the importance of these services in tackling domestic abuse and that interventions at the earliest opportunity improve outcomes. Ensuring more victim-survivors are receiving the right help at the right time and accessing support from the specialist support services is a priority for Coventry. Coventry now has an Early Intervention Team based at Coventry Central Police station offering support, at the earliest opportunity, to victim-survivors reporting to the police and also has a growing multi-agency network of domestic abuse champions support survivors of domestic abuse across
Coventry to access specialist support. Since April 2024 there has been an increase in the number of officers investigating Domestic Abuse Crimes in Coventry, an increase in the number of suspects arrested, an increase in positive outcomes and an increase in the use of Domestic Abuse Protection Orders (expeditious and interim form of police led Restraining Order).
Case Study
“Children at risk of criminal exploitation and serious youth violence are safer as a result of the effective partnership work undertaken by both statutory services and the third sector to reduce risks in places and spaces as well as for individual young people in Coventry. Mature partnership arrangements are in place. Since 2019, partners in Coventry have continued to focus on serious youth violence and exploitation. Their response to the new serious violence duty, through the Coventry Serious Violence Prevention Partnership led by the police, with strong links to the West Midlands Regional Violence Reduction Partnership and Coventry Safeguarding Children Partnership, further builds on the learning from the city’s experience of serious youth violence”.
Household Support Fund
We ensure that residents experiencing financial hardship can access the right support at the right time. Since the beginning of April 2023, we have supported 10,513 households through our application-based process on the following support types:
Note: This is the number of households supported, if a household receives multiple awards they are counted once only.
- 6,816 households awarded food support provided by our local food network.
- 9,755 households awarded energy support (top ups/cash)
- 547 households awarded essential items linked to energy and water (white goods, boiler repairs)
- 1,382 households awarded supermarket vouchers for clothing.
- 278 households awarded essentials items not linked to food, energy and water (beds, curtains where none existed before)
The total grant determination for HSF4 was £6.4m. During the entire 12 month period, we supported residents by making awards to an estimated value of £6.4m. Over a third of households required a single award to support them through a particular period of financial hardship. Approximately one third of households received more than three awards. We work creatively with partners to ensure people can access the support they need and reach out to individuals and families facing complex challenges to enable us to bring partners together to secure a long-term solution.
Case study 1
Date of application: 21 January 2024
Support required: Household essentials
CS1 is a Longford resident in his 40s who made an application for carpet. CS1 is in receipt of Universal Credit and unable to work due to severe epilepsy.
The condition resulted in falls and often epileptic fits during their sleep, and with no carpet in the bedroom, this meant falling on to hard concrete floor. CS1 was embarrassed about his property and did not allow visitors of friends or family for this reason.
CS1 was in debt as had taken out a loan to clear an overdraft.
This application was successful and was awarded carpet for his bedroom.
CS1 was signposted to debt support organisations and referred to a Welfare Benefit Adviser to work on income maximisation.
Case study 2
Date of application: 31 May 2024
Support required: Fuel and household essentials
CS2 is a resident in the Lower Stoke ward, a lone parent with four children aged 12, 4, 2, and 9 weeks. CS2 is unemployed and in receipt of Universal Credit.
The 9-week-old baby had just recovered from viral meningitis and had just been discharged from hospital. CS2 had separated from their partner who left the family home leaving them with a £1500pcm rent to cover from Universal Credit before bills and daily living costs. A family member was having to support CS2 with food and nappies from their state pension.
CS2 was applying for new beds for the children and a cot as the baby was getting too big for their moses basket. The 2- and 4-year-old were sleeping in CS2’s bed.
This application was successful, and the customer was awarded a cot and beds/mattresses for the two younger children. CS2 was also awarded a Love2Shop voucher to purchase bedding and clothing and a washing machine.
A referral was also made to Early Help for support with debt and housing issues.
Low-income family tracker project (LIFT)
The Council continues to employ the LIFT data analysis tool to identify some of our most vulnerable households. The technology uses data held within the Council’s council tax and benefits systems to identify some of our most financially vulnerable households. The software can also identify households that may be entitled to additional council and government support which they’re not currently receiving. The initial project was hugely successful and helped to identify several million pounds in unclaimed benefits and pension credits for Coventry residents. In 2023/24 we have built on this early success and used the tool to assist in migrating people to Universal Credit, identifying unclaimed Pension Credit and Attendance Allowance and we are looking at how the data can help us increase the take up of free school meals. We are also working closely with partners at Central England Law Centre to identify residents who may have been incorrectly subjected to a cap on the total amount of benefits they can receive.
The Council’s use of the LIFT software demonstrates our ongoing commitment to supporting our most vulnerable households and using data we hold to deliver better outcomes for local people.
Holiday and Food Activity Programme
More than 4,000 eligible children and family members benefitted from the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme. This project aims to address some of the inequalities experienced by children during the school holidays. It not only delivered over 150 positive activities, but also guaranteed that children benefited from a meal.
Approximately 30% of children who attended summer 2023 HAF activities were identified as children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities. As part of our focus on activities for children with additional needs, there was a partnership approach between the HAF programme and Coventry’s special schools which was funded through Coventry Building Society investment. This resulted in 6 out of the 8 Coventry special schools hosting or partnering with other organisations to deliver a wide range of activities including: swimming, crafts, outdoor games, horse riding, cooking, sensory play, sports, trips (e.g. Cadbury World, Lego Discovery etc.)
This provided an opportunity for partners to be more involved in the delivery of HAF and supported provision of some fantastic holiday opportunities for children and young people with SEND.