Economic and domestic abuse

Domestic abuse is not just physical violence. The law says it can also include:

• emotional abuse
• psychological abuse
• sexual abuse and sexual violence
• coercive or controlling behaviour, and
• economic abuse

Economic abuse is a form of coercive behaviour where an abuser controls someone’s resources. It often includes financial abuse – a form of domestic abuse. And it may involve any financial product or service – such as a bank, credit company, insurer or mortgage provider. For example, a perpetrator might:

• limit or control someone else’s access to money or necessities, such as food and clothing
• take away someone’s financial independence, or ability to support themselves 
• spend someone else’s money
• make them buy things
• coerce them into taking out loans or other debts
• force them to make financial decisions that leave them in debt or financial difficulty

Anyone can experience abuse – regardless of age, background, gender, religion, sexuality or ethnicity. The abuser is usually someone you know well, such as a partner, another family member, a friend, a relative or carer.

When people leave abusive relationships, they may find that they experience financial difficulty as a result of the abuse or because they left the relationship.

People contact us when they need help dealing with a financial firm – such as a bank, credit company, mortgage lender or insurer – about problems caused by economic and domestic abuse. They may think the financial business:

• could have done more to help or step in while the abuse was taking place
• did something wrong and they've lost out as a result 
• hasn’t treated them fairly and sympathetically when they’ve experienced financial difficulty

If you feel a financial business could have done more to help – or did something wrong – you can bring your complaint to us. For example, people have come to us saying that someone: 

• pressured me into letting them use my card or bank account
• forced me into guaranteeing a loan for them
• coerced me to take out a loan in my name for their benefit – or take out car finance in my name for their car
• used my name to take out loans, credit cards, or overdrafts without my knowledge or consent
• used my credit card or bank account without me knowing, or coerced me into letting them use them
• stopped making payments to our joint loan or mortgage to punish me or ruin my credit record
• put all our debts into my name and left me to pay them
• made me sign over policies or investments to them
• cancelled insurance without telling me and now I’m not covered

We can also look into problems that come up after you’ve separated from the abuser, for example if: 

• you still have joint accounts and the business made a mistake like giving them your address
• the abuser has left your home but won't agree to making changes to your joint mortgage 
• a financial firm doesn’t understand your money problems result from economic abuse or leaving a relationship, and you need them to be patient and work with you

Our service is free and easy to use. 

1. Before bringing your complaint to us, you should make a formal complaint to the company involved.
2. If they don't send you a final response letter within eight weeks – or you're unhappy with their response – you can bring your complaint to us.
3. Our complaint checker will tell you more about some of the things we need to know upfront and help you make sure you’re ready to send us your complaint.
4. Fill in our online complaint form. Your case will be assigned to a case handler who will get in touch when they start to investigate. When you bring a complaint to us, we’ll talk you through our process and any evidence we need.
5. To help us consider a complaint fairly, we’ll ask you to provide information. We’ll always explain why we need what we ask for and give you time to provide it. We can accept evidence in confidence and copies of documents if it’s difficult to provide the originals.

We understand that your case may be complicated and that it can be difficult to talk about what happened – even some time after the event. We’re committed to handling your case sensitively, and with discretion, care and respect.

Use our complaint checker

Financial businesses – such as banks, insurers, lenders and others – must take particular care to treat customers in vulnerable circumstances fairly. This is a requirement set out in the regulations by the Financial Conduct Authority.

We take this into account when dealing with cases involving economic and domestic abuse.

We’ll make our decision about what happened using evidence from you, the financial business and any relevant third parties. To reach a decision, we'll also consider:  

• the relevant law 
• any regulations that applied at the time 
• any industry codes of conduct in force at the time 
• what you tell us about what happened
• what the business knew – or should have known – about your situation
• whether the business has handled things as we’d expect, for example, by offering support to help you move forward

We'll tell you whether we think you've been treated unfairly or not and explain how we reached our decision. 

If we think you've been treated unfairly, we’ll tell the business to put things right, for example, by:

• making changes to your financial product – such as insurance, a mortgage, or a bank account
• paying you compensation – or reimbursing you – for any financial loss
• making changes to your credit file

We may also tell them to pay you compensation for any distress or inconvenience you have suffered.

What to expect

• Surviving Economic Abuse is a UK charity dedicated to helping those experiencing economic abuse. SEA doesn’t provide direct support to victim-survivors, but can help you identify and respond to economic abuse. 
• The Financial Support Line for Victims of Domestic Abuse offers specialist advice to anyone experiencing domestic abuse who is in financial difficulty. The service is a joint partnership between SEA and Money Advice Plus.
• The National Centre for Domestic Violence offers a free, fast emergency legal protection service to survivors of domestic abuse and violence.
• Women’s Aid offers an online tool to help you find local support.
• If you need to speak to someone, you may find support through the Helplines Partnership database, which lists organisations you can call.  
• Refuge supports women and children – helping them overcome domestic and economic abuse and to rebuild their lives.
• Mankind helps men escape domestic abuse.
• Galop supports lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT+) people who have experienced domestic abuse.
• Respect is a charity that works with perpetrators and male victims of domestic abuse.
• Hourglass is a charity working to stop elder abuse.

Free advice on debt and money

The MoneyHelper website offers guides to help you:

• Spot the signs of financial abuse and leave safely
• Take back control after financial abuse

Citizens Advice also offers free guidance on debt and money problems.