Domestic abuse: learning from tragedy and preventing future deaths

The government has published new statutory guidance designed to improve how agencies learn from domestic abuse-related deaths and help prevent future deaths.

Domestic Homicide Reviews have now been renamed Domestic Abuse Related Death Reviews (DARDRs), reflecting changes introduced through the Victims and Prisoners Act 2024. The reviews consider circumstances where a death has, or appears to have, resulted from domestic abuse.

The updated guidance, which came into effect on 15 September 2026, aims to put victims at the centre of the review process while improving consistency and oversight. It also seeks to make sure lessons identified through reviews lead to meaningful changes in the way organisations respond to domestic abuse.

Changes include a clearer and more unified approach to reviews, strengthened oversight and improvements to the way recommendations and learning are monitored. The reforms also recognise deaths by suicide where domestic abuse may have been a contributing factor.

The government says learning from individual deaths is an important part of its wider work to tackle violence against women and girls and improve the response to domestic abuse.

Find out more:
Read the full announcement on GOV.UK