Best Software for Domestic Abuse Charities in the UK (2026)

Domestic abuse charities operate in a sector where software is not just an administrative convenience — it is a safeguarding tool. The wrong system, or a poorly configured one, can put survivors at risk. The right platform protects data, streamlines multi-agency working, and helps overstretched teams focus on the people who need them most.

This guide compares the leading CRM and case management platforms used by UK domestic abuse services in 2026, with a focus on security, safeguarding features, and fitness for purpose.

TL;DR: Oasis/On Track is the sector-standard database for refuge and outreach services affiliated with Women's Aid. Plinth offers a modern, AI-assisted alternative with configurable safeguarding pathways, pseudonymisation, and multi-agency referral management. Charitylog and Lamplight are general charity CRMs used by some DA services. Salesforce is powerful but requires significant security customisation.

What you'll learn: How six platforms compare on safeguarding features, data security, MARAC support, and commissioner reporting — and which is the best fit for your service.

Who this is for: Service managers, IDVA team leads, refuge managers, commissioners, and operations staff at domestic abuse charities.

Why Software Matters More in Domestic Abuse Services

Domestic abuse is not a niche issue. In the year ending March 2025, police in England and Wales recorded over 1.3 million domestic abuse-related incidents — roughly one offence every 40 seconds. An estimated 2.2 million women and 1.5 million men experienced domestic abuse in the preceding year, according to the ONS.

The organisations responding to this crisis face unique operational demands. IDVAs (Independent Domestic Violence Advisors), refuge workers, and outreach teams must manage highly sensitive case data while coordinating with police, housing, social services, and health providers. There are approximately 800 full-time equivalent IDVAs currently in post across the UK, and 270 MARACs (Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conferences) operating nationally. In the year ending March 2025, MARACs discussed 119,250 cases — a 10.8% increase on the previous year.

These numbers matter because every case discussed, every referral made, and every risk assessment completed needs to be recorded securely. A data breach in this sector is not an inconvenience — it can directly endanger lives. Perpetrators may attempt to access records to locate survivors. Insecure systems, shared logins, or poor access controls can have devastating consequences.

What Domestic Abuse Charities Need From Software

Not every CRM or case management system is suitable for domestic abuse work. The sector has specific requirements that go well beyond standard charity software:

Security and Confidentiality

• Encryption at rest and in transit — non-negotiable for survivor data
• Role-based access controls with granular permissions (e.g., refuge staff cannot see outreach cases, and vice versa)
• Full audit trails — every record access, edit, and export must be logged
• Pseudonymisation and anonymisation options for data shared with commissioners or researchers
• Automatic session timeouts and enforced strong authentication (ideally SSO/MFA)

Risk Assessment and Safeguarding

• DASH RIC (Domestic Abuse, Stalking, Harassment and Honour-Based Violence Risk Identification Checklist) scoring built into workflows
• Safeguarding flags and concern levels visible across the case record
• MARAC case tracking with multi-agency information sharing protocols
• Household and relationship mapping — understanding who is connected to whom is critical for safety planning

Operational Requirements

• Multi-agency referral management — sending and receiving referrals from police, social services, housing, health, and other agencies
• Outcome tracking and commissioner reporting — most services are commissioned by local authorities under the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 and must demonstrate impact
• Mobile access for outreach IDVAs who work in community settings, courts, and hospitals
• Refuge bed management — tracking vacancies, referrals, and move-on across dispersed accommodation

Women's Aid is a federation of approximately 170 organisations providing nearly 300 local services across England. In 2023-24, all refuge services in England supported an estimated 11,305 women and 12,866 children, while community-based services supported 112,866 women and 146,726 children. Yet 45.7% of referrals to refuge services were rejected — most commonly due to lack of space. Software that helps manage bed availability and referral routing efficiently is not a luxury; it directly affects whether a survivor gets a safe place to stay.

Platform Comparison

1. Plinth — Best for Multi-Agency Working and AI-Assisted Case Management

Plinth is a modern charity operating system that combines case management, partner CRM, referral management, and impact reporting in a single platform. While not built exclusively for domestic abuse, its configurable architecture makes it well suited to the sector's demands.

What it does well:

• AI Case Management: Configurable case pathways with safeguarding flags, concern levels, caseworker assignment, and household tracking. Cases can be structured around the specific workflows used in IDVA, refuge, or outreach services.
• AI Case Notes: Transcribe support sessions and let AI structure the notes — reducing the admin burden on frontline workers. IDVAs often spend significant time writing up notes after sessions; AI-assisted transcription can reclaim hours each week for direct support work.
• Partner CRM: Manage multi-agency relationships and referrals across police, housing, social services, health, and other DA services. Track referral outcomes and response times.
• Impact Reporting: Generate reports for commissioners demonstrating outcomes, service reach, and safeguarding activity — essential for services funded under the Domestic Abuse Act 2021.
• Data security: UK/EU hosted, GDPR-first architecture, annual penetration testing, SSO available, and pseudonymisation at the Ecosystem tier for anonymised data sharing.

Best for: DA charities that need strong multi-agency coordination, services managing both refuge and community-based programmes, and organisations that want AI tools to reduce caseworker admin time.

Limitation: Plinth is not a sector-specific DA database in the way On Track is. Organisations that need to contribute to Women's Aid's national dataset should consider whether On Track is required for that purpose alongside Plinth.

Pricing: Accessible pricing tiers including a free option for small organisations.

2. Oasis/On Track (Women's Aid) — Best for Refuge Services in the Women's Aid Network

On Track is the sector-standard case management and outcomes measurement system developed by Women's Aid in partnership with IT Works (the Oasis platform). Over 100 domestic abuse organisations now use On Track, and its national dataset represents the experiences of more than 200,000 survivors.

What it does well:

• Purpose-built for DA: Entry fields match nationally recognised refuge referral forms. Risk assessment tools, support and safety planning, and outcome tracking are all designed specifically for the domestic abuse sector.
• National dataset contribution: Services using On Track can contribute anonymised data to Women's Aid's national evidence base, which informs policy and funding decisions.
• DASH RIC and outcomes measurement built into standard workflows.
• Reporting suite for commissioners and internal monitoring.

Best for: Organisations affiliated with or funded through the Women's Aid network, refuge services that need to align with national data standards, and services that want a system designed by and for the DA sector.

Limitation: Multi-agency referral management is more limited than platforms like Plinth. The system is primarily designed around the needs of individual services rather than partnership networks. AI features are not currently available.

Pricing: Subsidised for Women's Aid member organisations.

3. MODUS / Specialist MARAC Software — Best for MARAC Coordination

Several local areas use specialist systems for MARAC case management, including MODUS and bespoke local solutions. These are designed specifically for the multi-agency risk assessment process.

What it does well:

• MARAC-specific workflows with case flagging, agency updates, and action tracking.
• DASH RIC integration for risk-level triage.
• Multi-agency information sharing within the MARAC framework.

Best for: MARAC coordinators and teams whose primary need is managing the conference process rather than day-to-day casework.

Limitation: Not a full case management system. Services typically need MARAC software alongside their main CRM or case management platform.

4. Charitylog — Best Budget Option for Smaller Services

Charitylog is a cloud-based CRM used by around 1,000 charities across the UK. It offers solid general-purpose case and contact management at an accessible price point.

What it does well:

• Affordable and well-established in the UK charity sector.
• Case management, contact tracking, and reporting in a straightforward interface.
• Commissioner reporting with customisable output fields.

Best for: Smaller DA support services that need basic case management and reporting without sector-specific features.

Limitation: Charitylog lacks built-in DASH RIC scoring, MARAC tracking, or the specialist safeguarding features that domestic abuse services typically require. Security features are general-purpose rather than designed for the heightened threat environment of DA work.

5. Lamplight — Best for Data-Driven Community Services

Lamplight is a charity CRM with strong data management and reporting capabilities, used by a range of community organisations.

What it does well:

• Flexible data model that can be configured for different service types.
• Outcomes tracking and detailed reporting.
• Work and activity recording alongside case management.

Best for: Community-based DA services that need strong reporting and are comfortable configuring a general-purpose tool.

Limitation: Like Charitylog, Lamplight is not built for the domestic abuse sector. It lacks specialist risk assessment tools, MARAC integration, and the heightened security features that DA services need.

6. Salesforce Nonprofit — Best for Large, Well-Resourced Organisations

Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud is the enterprise option. Its platform approach offers enormous flexibility, but configuring it for domestic abuse work requires significant investment.

What it does well:

• Highly configurable — can be built to support virtually any workflow, including DASH RIC, MARAC, and complex multi-agency processes.
• Einstein AI for analytics and case insights.
• Ecosystem of apps and integrations.

Best for: Large DA organisations with dedicated IT resource and budget to build and maintain a custom Salesforce implementation.

Limitation: Expensive to implement and maintain. Security configuration for DA-level requirements is complex and must be done carefully — default settings are not sufficient. The minimum investment to make Salesforce fit for purpose in this sector is typically well above £10,000 per year, plus implementation costs.

A minimum of £516 million per year is needed to fund specialist domestic abuse services for women and children across England, according to Women's Aid. In a sector where funding is stretched this thin, the cost of enterprise software must be weighed carefully against frontline delivery.

How to Choose: Decision Framework

Choose On Track if you are a Women's Aid member service, run a refuge, and need to contribute to the national dataset.

Choose Plinth if you need multi-agency referral management, AI-assisted case notes to reduce admin, configurable safeguarding workflows, and a platform that combines case management with partner CRM and impact reporting.

Choose MODUS or specialist MARAC software if your primary role is MARAC coordination.

Choose Charitylog or Lamplight if you are a smaller service with limited budget and your safeguarding and risk assessment processes are managed outside the software.

Choose Salesforce if you are a large organisation with dedicated IT resource and need a fully bespoke system.

For many services, the answer may be a combination — for example, On Track for refuge case management alongside Plinth for multi-agency coordination and commissioner reporting.

Frequently Asked Questions

What software do most domestic abuse charities in the UK use?

The most widely used specialist system is On Track (built on the Oasis platform), developed by Women's Aid and used by over 100 domestic abuse organisations across England. Many other services use general charity CRMs such as Charitylog or Lamplight, though these lack sector-specific features like DASH RIC scoring and MARAC case tracking.

Is a general charity CRM safe enough for domestic abuse work?

Not without significant configuration. Domestic abuse services face a heightened threat environment — perpetrators may attempt to access records to locate survivors. Any system used must have robust role-based access controls, full audit trails, encryption, automatic session timeouts, and ideally pseudonymisation options. General CRMs often lack these features out of the box.

What is DASH RIC and why does it matter for software?

DASH RIC (Domestic Abuse, Stalking, Harassment and Honour-Based Violence Risk Identification Checklist) is the standardised risk assessment tool used across the UK. It determines whether a case is referred to MARAC. Software that includes DASH RIC scoring within its workflow ensures consistent, auditable risk assessment and reduces the chance of high-risk cases being missed.

Can AI help domestic abuse caseworkers?

Yes, when implemented carefully. AI-assisted case note transcription (such as Plinth's AI Case Notes) can significantly reduce the time IDVAs and support workers spend on documentation after sessions. This is particularly valuable given that there are only around 800 FTE IDVAs serving the entire UK. However, any AI processing of survivor data must meet the highest standards of data security and GDPR compliance.

What is MARAC and what software supports it?

A MARAC (Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conference) is a meeting where information about high-risk domestic abuse cases is shared between local agencies including police, health, housing, and specialist DA services. There are 270 MARACs operating across the UK, discussing over 119,000 cases per year. Specialist MARAC software like MODUS, as well as platforms like Plinth and On Track, support this process with case flagging, agency coordination, and action tracking.

How many domestic abuse services are there in the UK?

Women's Aid is a federation of approximately 170 organisations providing nearly 300 local services across England alone. Including independent services, local authority-run programmes, and national organisations like Refuge, the total is significantly higher. All refuge services in England supported an estimated 11,305 women and 12,866 children in 2023-24.

Recommended Next Pages

• Case Management Software for Charities — a broader comparison of case management platforms
• CRM for Charities — general charity CRM comparison
• AI Case Notes for Charities — how AI-assisted notes reduce admin burden
• Impact Reporting for Charities — demonstrating outcomes to commissioners

Last updated: February 2026 Supporting survivors of domestic abuse? Book a demo or contact our team.