Domestic abuse orders pilot extended to 31 March 2026
If you work with safeguarding, or you’re looking for clear guidance, here’s the update: the government has extended the Domestic Abuse Protection pilot until 31 March 2026. The change was made on 20 November 2025 and took effect on 21 November 2025 through the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 (Commencement No. 6, 8 and 9 and Saving Provisions) (Amendment) Regulations 2025.
First, the basics. A Domestic Abuse Protection Notice (DAPN) is an immediate short-term notice the police can issue to protect someone at risk. A Domestic Abuse Protection Order (DAPO) is a court order that can set conditions-like banning contact, excluding someone from a home, or requiring behaviour-change or substance-misuse work. DAPOs can be made in the family, civil or criminal courts, and there are routes for police-led or victim-led applications.
Where is the pilot running? It began on 27 November 2024 in Greater Manchester and the London boroughs of Croydon, Bromley and Sutton, with British Transport Police also taking part.
Two areas joined in 2025. Cleveland entered the pilot on 11 March 2025, and North Wales joined on 28 April 2025. In North Wales, the original pilot period was set to end on 26 November 2025 before this extension moved the end date to 31 March 2026.
Why extend the pilot? Parliament’s Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments flagged drafting problems in the earlier Commencement No. 9 Regulations (S.I. 2025/515). The new amendment instrument both extends time and tidies the technical ‘saving’ rules so live and recently decided cases don’t fall through gaps-especially where appeals are in play.
What continues to apply during the extended period? If a DAPN or DAPO is already in effect, if an application has been made but not decided, if related proceedings have started, or if an appeal (or permission to appeal) is pending, the DAPO framework keeps running so those cases can be enforced, varied or concluded properly. The amendment also confirms that appeals keep the regime alive until all routes of appeal are exhausted.
What this means if you’re affected: in the pilot areas, you can still ask the police about a DAPN, and you can still apply for a DAPO (or the police can apply). Courts remain able to make, enforce, vary or discharge orders while the pilot continues to 31 March 2026. If you’re in immediate danger, call 999; if it’s not urgent, speak to your local police or an accredited support service about the safest route to protection.
A quick note for those outside the pilot areas. The government has not yet brought into force section 55 of the Act, which would repeal the previous Domestic Violence Protection Notices/Orders. That means the older DVPN/DVPO tools remain available where DAPOs are not yet piloted.
For teachers, tutors and student support teams, you might see DAPO conditions that restrict attendance at a campus or contact with a student. Your role is not to investigate, but to follow your setting’s safeguarding policy, keep information limited to those who need to know, and log concerns promptly. If a student discloses risk, help them reach specialist support and, where appropriate, the police. No one should have to manage this alone.
Dates to keep in your planner: the amendment was made on 20 November 2025, came into force on 21 November 2025, and pushes the pilot end date to 31 March 2026. That extra time is likely to help the Ministry of Justice test the model and fix process issues before any wider rollout, so we’ll keep watching for evaluation findings and next steps.
And finally, a plain-language recap. DAPNs are quick, police-issued notices to create breathing space. DAPOs are court orders with tailored conditions to keep someone safe and change behaviour where required. The pilot keeps these tools available in selected areas while the system is refined, and today’s change makes sure ongoing cases carry on lawfully through to a final decision.