PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Ask for ANI Scheme (20 February 2024)

Ask for ANI (Action Needed Immediately) was launched across pharmacies in the UK during the unprecedented emergency of the pandemic in January 2021. Since then, there have been 186 reported disclosures from across the UK where victims have been supported by pharmacists to access support from the police or domestic abuse services. Of those disclosures, 38 were in 2022 and 50 in 2023. This however is likely to be an underestimate as participating pharmacies are encouraged but not required to report disclosures to the Home Office.

The Ask for ANI scheme is currently being piloted in 15 Jobcentre Plus sites across England, Scotland and Wales and 4 Jobs and Benefits Offices in Northern Ireland. An independent evaluation has been commissioned to understand how the scheme has been implemented across the pilot sites which will conclude this summer. As the evaluation is ongoing, we are not able to share numbers of disclosures in pilot sites at this stage. A decision on the publication of the evaluation will be made in due course.