Economic Abuse & The Help That's Available
- BetterAskAdam.com
- Mar 1
- 3 min read
Nearly one million UK women were prevented from leaving a dangerous partner because of the economic abuse, according to the charity Surviving Economic Abuse which says that "One in seven women in the UK experienced economic abuse from a current or former partner in the past 12 months – equivalent to 4.1 million women. Black, Asian and racially minoritised women are more than twice as likely to experience economic abuse than White wome. Disabled women were just less than twice as likely to experience economic abuse than non-disabled women"
Q: What is economic abuse?
Economic abuse is a devastating form of domestic abuse. It involves a current or ex-partner controlling a victim-survivor’s money and the things that money can buy. Perpetrators trap people by controlling their access to cash and creating financial instability that makes it harder for them to flee. Even when people manage to leave, the abuser’s ongoing economic abuse and its harmful impact means many are forced to return to the abuser or face homelessness and destitution.
Q: What are the warning signs of economic abuse that people should watch out for?
Economic abuse can be difficult to spot and what might at first seem as caring or protective behaviour can very quickly become controlling and coercive. For example, offering to take care of the bills, encouraging a survivor to reduce their hours at work, or asking if you could take out a loan to help them out, which they say they will pay back but never do.
Warning signs you can look out for include:
Are they short of money or unable to buy inexpensive items even if they work? Have they asked to borrow money to pay bills or for essential items?
Do they say their partner deals with all money matters? Are their wages or benefits paid directly into their partner’s account?
Are they seeking their partner’s permission before making any purchases?
Have they left their work when they liked their job? Do they make excuses to not join friends for coffee and meals out?
Q: If an economic abuse survivor is trapped with an abuser right now, what can they do?
If you’re experiencing economic abuse, please know that you are not alone and there is help out there.
If you’re in immediate danger, call 999.
It is important to have a safety plan and gather important documents. You can call the National Domestic Abuse Helpline to confidentially speak to an expert advisor to help you create your safety plan on 0808 2000 247.
If it safe to do so, you can tell your bank that you are experiencing economic abuse so they can offer support, for example helping you open up a safe bank account. TSB offer new and existing customers a Flee Fund of up to £500 to help survivors achieve safety.
The Financial Support Line for Victims of Domestic Abuse is run by Money Advice Plus. It offers specialist advice to anyone experiencing domestic abuse who is in financial difficulty. To contact the Financial Support Line for advice and guidance call our freephone number 0808 1968 845 between 9am–5pm Monday to Friday. Unfortunately, volume on the Line is very high, so it may take a while to get through. Please do keep trying.
You can visit Surviving Economic Abuse’s website to access lots of information, practical tips and contact details for organisations who can provide specialist support: www.survivingeconomicabuse.org/i-need-help.
Q: What can people do if a family member or friend is experiencing economic abuse?
The charity Surviving Economic Abuse suggests that if you’re worried that someone you care about is experiencing economic abuse, you should:
Express concern - don’t ask too many questions, but say help is available and that they are not alone.
Believe them – take time to listen and recognise it may take time to act.
Provide practical help – offer a spare room or provide essential items like food, clothing and toiletries.
Have information about domestic abuse services to hand. Surviving Economic Abuse’s website has information and resources for survivors and the people who support them.
Q: This week (March 2nd 2025) is No More Week - what is that?
It is an annual, international opportunity to come together and raise awareness of domestic abuse and sexual violence. You can find more information here https://uksaysnomore.org
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