A RAFT of measures "to support the most vulnerable in society" including domestic violence victims and rough sleepers have been announced by the Housing Secretary.

Robert Jenrick announced a £76 million package to support more safe spaces and accommodation for survivors of domestic abuse and their children, to boost the recruitment of counsellors for victims of sexual violence, and to help charities offer helplines.

Addressing victims of domestic violence directly, Mr Jenrick said: "You are not alone, you do not have to stay at home, you can and should leave the home if you're in danger."

He added: "Our outstanding police will be there for you, they will help you."

Additionally, more than 5,400 rough sleepers known to councils have been offered safe accommodation in the past month, Mr Jenrick said, as he announced Dame Louise Casey will lead a new taskforce to tackle the issue.

Among the measures to support domestic violence victims, Mr Jenrick also said on Saturday they would get "priority need" status for access to local housing.

Mr Jenrick added: "As a father of three girls, I cannot even imagine women and young children being put in this situation.

"But they are.

"We must be alive to the reality of what is happening in all too many homes across the country.

"I want us to defend the rights of those women and those children wherever we can, and that is what we're going to do."

He said the Government's Domestic Abuse Bill, which had its second reading in Parliament last week, would create "the first ever legal definition of domestic abuse".

He said that through the Bill, the Government would "be ensuring that the victims of domestic violence get the priority need status that they need to access to local housing services much more easily".