A charity dedicated to helping Jewish women who have been victims of domestic violence is fearing a significant loss of income through local authority cuts.

Jewish Women's Aid - which runs the only Jewish women's refuge in Europe - says £180,000 of its £700,000 annual budget is at risk. It is currently working with around 100 women affected by violence.

A £132,000 grant from Barnet Council is due to be reviewed this month. Another £45,000 from the London Councils programme, which distributes funding on behalf of the 33 London boroughs, is due to end next year.

The charity currently works with 100 women who have been victims of violence. A year-long counselling service in Manchester piloted since January is running at full capacity but would require renewed funding to continue.

JWA interim executive director Monica Tuohy said it would "fight tooth and nail" to plug funding cuts. It was recruiting additional volunteers for its national telephone counselling helpline.

"If we lose the grants, it would be catastrophic," she said. "Our service is imperative because we are the only specialist working in domestic violence within the Jewish community."