The federation for Wales#
Welsh Women's Aid has worked since 1978 as the national charity in Wales for ending violence against women and girls. It is a federation of specialist services across Wales, which run refuges, advocacy, counselling and prevention work in their communities. The national body campaigns, trains, runs the Wales National Quality Service Standards for domestic abuse services with the Welsh Government's support, and delivers the Live Fear Free helpline, which the Welsh Government funds.
The Live Fear Free helpline#
Live Fear Free is the main way in for anyone in Wales. According to the I need help page and the contact page, it is:
- free and confidential, open 24 hours a day, every day of the year, and calls do not appear on itemised bills;
- reachable by phone, text, live webchat or email;
- available in Welsh and English, with interpreters through LanguageLine for other languages, and by Relay UK for text phone users;
- open to friends, family, colleagues and professionals as well as survivors.
Staff help you talk through your situation and options and plan for your and your children's safety, whatever you decide about the relationship, and can tell you about local services, housing, benefits, legal options, counselling and Sexual Assault Referral Centres. They share information only with your consent, unless your life is in immediate danger or a child is at risk. The charity's general office line cannot support survivors; messages about support are passed to the helpline.
Finding a local service#
The local service finder lists specialist services for every local authority in Wales. Local services offer one-to-one advocacy and support, counselling, support groups and refuge or other safe accommodation, and many run drop-in sessions. The site also has a guide to covering your tracks online.
A change of name in Wales#
No separate Welsh law governs names, so a deed poll signed in Cardiff is the same document as one signed in Chester. From 16 you can make your own, and GOV.UK's guide to doing so is available in Welsh as well as English. A deed written in Welsh is not ruled out, though one in English, or in both languages, saves being asked for a translation by an organisation outside Wales. Enrolment, which is optional, accepts supporting documents in Welsh without translation, but it publishes your new name and address in The Gazette, so many survivors keep their deed unenrolled.
Before you change anything, a Live Fear Free adviser or your local service can help you decide which records to update first and which address to use.
More on names in Wales#
- Changing your name in Wales: Welsh names, Welsh documents and the records.
- Changing your name after domestic abuse.
- Keeping your address off your records.
- Charities that help after domestic abuse.
This page describes what Welsh Women's Aid publishes on its website, read on 26 October 2026. Welsh Women's Aid has not reviewed it, and listing it here does not mean it recommends this handbook or any deed poll service.
