Survey reveals surprising variety of UK girls have skilled financial abuse

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Your assist makes all of the distinction. Learn extra Round one in seven girls have had their cash and financial sources managed by one other particular person previously 12 months, a brand new survey signifies.

Nonetheless, two-fifths of these didn't converse to anybody about their expertise, in accordance with a report from the charity Surviving Financial Abuse (SEA).

The charity commissioned Ipsos UK to survey over 2,800 girls throughout the UK in October and November 2024. The analysis was developed by SEA with enter from victim-survivors and tutorial advisers.

SEA additionally discovered that many ladies had been additionally unaware of financial abuse. Some 55 per cent know nothing about this type of home abuse, and a 3rd (33 per cent) know "a little bit" about it.

Financial abuse is a harmful and prevalent type of home abuse that takes many varieties. SEA mentioned it might embrace a present or ex-partner proscribing entry to cash or financial institution accounts, damaging property or possessions, taking out loans or build up debt in a victim-survivor’s identify.

The report, Counting The Price: The Scale And Impression Of Financial Abuse In The UK, indicated that ladies from ethnic minority backgrounds, disabled girls and youthful girls (aged 18 to 24) had been significantly more likely to say that they had skilled at the very least one type of financial abuse.

<img src="https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/thumbnails/image/2020/01/28/08/istock-1096591210-1.jpg" srcset="https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/thumbnails/image/2020/01/28/08/istock-1096591210-1.jpg?quality=75&width=320&auto=webp 320w, https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/thumbnails/image/2020/01/28/08/istock-1096591210-1.jpg?quality=75&width=640&auto=webp 640w" loading="lazy" alt="Economic abuse can take many forms" class="sc-1mc30lb-0 ggpMaE inline-gallery-btn"/> open picture in gallery

Financial abuse can take many varieties (Getty Photos) In the meantime, 28 per cent of ladies with youngsters within the family had skilled financial abuse, in contrast with 10 per cent of UK girls with out youngsters, the analysis indicated.

The report additionally discovered that victim-survivors who had heard the time period “financial abuse” and knew one thing about it had been extra more likely to search assist.

Those that had heard the time period had been additionally extra more likely to converse to a home abuse charity or a financial institution.

“Consciousness is important as a result of those that are conscious usually tend to get the assistance they want,” Sam Smethers, chief govt of Surviving Financial Abuse, mentioned.

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“Many are trapped in harmful conditions with an abuser or left with mountains of debt, homeless and experiencing this type of coercive management lengthy after the connection has ended.”

She mentioned financial abuse is devastating for all victim-survivors, however the charity’s information “exhibits the affect of this abuse is felt significantly strongly by youthful girls, moms, black and minoritised girls and disabled girls”.

The charity quoted one lady saying of her former associate: “He used cash as a weapon – even after the connection ended. I needed to promote our house, stay with the results of the low credit he’d pressured me into, and over 20 years later, I’m nonetheless in housing insecurity.

“Understanding this was financial abuse would have made such a distinction. It’s not simply ‘what occurs’ after divorce – it’s abuse, and other people have to know that. That’s why I inform anybody going by way of this to contact SEA, and to talk to their financial institution – there's assist, and also you’re not alone.”

<img src="https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/06/17/18/1d48c48fdc62942710cea3a63ead62f0Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNzUwMjY1Nzc3-2.78321683.jpg" srcset="https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/06/17/18/1d48c48fdc62942710cea3a63ead62f0Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNzUwMjY1Nzc3-2.78321683.jpg?quality=75&width=320&auto=webp 320w, https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/06/17/18/1d48c48fdc62942710cea3a63ead62f0Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNzUwMjY1Nzc3-2.78321683.jpg?quality=75&width=640&auto=webp 640w" loading="lazy" alt="Safeguarding minister Jess Phillips" class="sc-1mc30lb-0 ggpMaE inline-gallery-btn"/> open picture in gallery

Safeguarding minister Jess Phillips (PA Archive) Jess Phillips, the minister for safeguarding and violence towards girls and women, mentioned: “No lady ought to ever be trapped in an abusive relationship due to the struggling they may face in the event that they attempt to go away, whether or not that's the specter of bodily violence or the prospect of being plunged into poverty and homelessness.

“Tackling financial abuse – a real hidden crime – will likely be integral to reaching our ambition of halving violence towards girls and women in a decade.”

The charity mentioned “systemic change” have to be pushed throughout the private and non-private sectors, turning good follow into widespread follow, to remodel the lives of victim-survivors.

Additionally it is calling for the general public to affix its mission to lift consciousness of financial abuse, to assist folks spot the indicators and entry assist.

Surviving Financial Abuse highlighted some potential indicators of financial abuse folks can look out for:

1. Are they wanting cash or unable to purchase cheap gadgets even when they work? Have they requested to borrow cash to pay payments or for important gadgets?

2. Do they are saying their associate offers with all cash issues? Are their wages or advantages paid instantly into their associate’s account? Are they counting the pennies, or looking for their associate’s permission earlier than making any purchases?

3. Have they left their work once they favored their job?

4. Do they make excuses to not be part of associates for espresso and meals out?

5. Do they put on ill-fitting or worn-out clothes? Do they not have the cash to go to the hairdresser or purchase private gadgets?

The charity mentioned folks can assist victim-survivors of financial abuse by telling them assist is accessible and they don't seem to be alone.

It mentioned folks also can supply sensible assist, resembling by providing a spare room or offering important gadgets resembling meals, clothes, and toiletries, in addition to having details about home abuse providers handy.