SPENDING on domestic abuse support services has more than doubled in the last five years, a Freedom of Information (FOI) request has shown.

Devon County Council spent £928,462 in 2019/20, compared with £2,297,127 in 2023/24, the FOI shows.

This represents a more than 50 percent increase across five years.

Spending surpassed £2million in 2022/23, having been recorded as £1,150,539 in 2020/21 and £1,586,527 in 2021/22 respectively.

2,642 women had safeguarding concerns related to domestic abuse raised with Devon County Council between 2019 and 2024, another FOI has shown.

Of those identified, 446 died within the same five year period.