Domestic abuse: learning from tragedy and preventing future deaths

15 Sep 2026 02:35 PM

Publication of new statutory guidance on domestic abuse related death reviews

In December 2025, the government published Freedom from violence and abuse: a cross-government strategy to build a safer society for women and girls, which set out the strategic direction and actions to deliver an unprecedented commitment to halve violence again women and girls (VAWG) in a decade. Learning from tragedy is a key element of the strategy, to ensure that we learn from deaths following abuse and embed learning across all sectors to protect victims and, ultimately, prevent future deaths.  

As part of that commitment, updated statutory guidance underpinning domestic abuse related death reviews (DARDRs), formerly known as a domestic homicide reviews (DHRs), has been published today. 

DARDRs provide a crucial opportunity for local and national agencies, local communities, and society as a whole to consider each victim individually and treat every death as preventable. DARDRs are legislated for under the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004, which was amended by the Victims and Prisoners Act 2024 to align the definition of domestic abuse to that of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 and amend the review name to reflect the range of the deaths which fall within the scope of a review. These changes have also come into force today, Tuesday 15 September. 

The government is dedicated to the fundamental principles of these reviews, however, we recognised that there was room for improvement in the way these were being conducted and the lessons applied. The new guidance places victims at the heart of reviews, streamlines administrative process to create a unified approach, and recognises the importance of embedding oversight to drive meaningful change for victims of domestic abuse. 

The new guidance is part of a programme of reform undertaken by the Home Office to improve the wider DARDR process. This includes: 

• legislative amendments in Section 19 of the Victims and Prisoners Act 2024 that change the name of the reviews and clarify the criteria for which DARDRs can be commissioned, so that DARDRs will now be undertaken when a death has, or appears to have, resulted from domestic abuse as defined by section 1 of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021
• a new Home Office Quality Assurance Board introduced in 2025, to ensure that more reports are reviewed every month and CSPs receive feedback in a more timely manner
• a commitment to develop a new oversight mechanism for recommendations made within DARDRs; and 
• compulsory training for DARDR chairs, so that individuals chairing reviews are equipped to fulfil their responsibilities effectively and to a high standard