Domestic Abuse Protection Notices (DAPNs) and Domestic Abuse Protection Orders (DAPOs) were introduced by the Domestic Abuse Act 2021. They are intended to provide stronger, more flexible protection for victims of domestic abuse and to disrupt perpetrators’ behaviour. They are designed to simplify the protective order landscape and support a more consistent response across agencies.
On 4th August 2026, the Ministry of Justice announced that a nationwide rollout of DAPNs and DAPOs across England and Wales will begin on 25 November 2026.
A DAPN is an emergency measure issued by the police to safeguard a victim of domestic abuse. This means that immediate conditions will be placed on the alleged perpetrator, for example by requiring them to leave their home (if the parties live together) or by staying away from the victim for a specified period.
Once the police have issued a DAPN, an application must then be made to the court for a DAPO. The could must then, within 48 hours, consider whether a DAPO should be made, requiring the court to consider in each individual case, whether it would be necessary and proportionate to make a DAPO to protect the victim from (risk of) domestic abuse by the alleged perpetrator.
The DAPO, if made, can impose extensive and long-term conditions, such as banning the alleged perpetrator from entering a specific area, requiring attendance at a behaviour change programme and/or electric monitoring. DAPOs would only apply in circumstances where the victim and the alleged perpetrator are ‘personally connected’. This means that the parties:
- Are, or have been, married or civil partners of each other;
- Are, or have been, engaged to each other (whether or not the agreement has been terminated);
- Are, or have been, in an intimate personal relationship with each other;
- Each have, or there has been a time when they each have had, a parental relationship regarding the same child;
- Are relatives (as defined in an extensive list in the Family Law Act 1996 s63(1)).
Importantly, DAPOs cover all forms of domestic abuse as defined in the Domestic Abuse Act 2021, not just physical abuse or the threat of physical abuse. This may include violent or threatening behaviour, controlling or coercive behaviour, economic abuse, and psychological or emotional abuse.
The DAPO does not have a minimum or maximum duration, which allows the courts to give victims the protection they require for as long as they need.
Applications for DAPOs are not limited to the family court and can also be sought in civil or criminal proceedings. Applications may be made by the police, the victim or another third party such as a family member, a solicitor, or a social worker.
Breach of a DAPO without reasonable excuse is a criminal offence, carrying a maximum penalty of up to five years’ imprisonment, a fine, or both. A breach can also be dealt with as a civil contempt of court.
For information about family law matters please contact Heather Weavill at Alison Fielden & Co Solicitors on 01285 653261.
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