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How financial services providers can support you if you have experienced economic or financial abuse
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If someone is controlling your money, you may be experiencing financial or economic abuse.
Financial and Economic Abuse
We understand that financial and economic abuse can take a variety of different forms within relationships, whether by partners, family members or carers, and may be experienced as financial and economic control through restriction, exploitation, or sabotage, creating dependency and/or insecurity.
This type of abuse involves the control of money, finances, and things that money can buy, such as clothing, transport, food, and a place to live.
It might involve:
If anything like this is happening or has happened to you, you may be a victim of financial or economic abuse or fraud and should contact your financial services provider (such as your bank or building society).
Other organisations (see Information and Resources) are also there to help and support you.
One in six adults in the UK has experienced economic abuse by a current or former partner. Refuge, 2020 Know Economic Abuse.
But anyone can experience financial or economic abuse, whatever their age or personal circumstances.
Your financial services provider will ensure employees have training covering a wide range of circumstances and will understand the difficulties you may be facing. They will be respectful and where appropriate, tailor solutions to your individual needs.
If it’s safe to do so, ask to speak to your financial services provider about your circumstances.
Your financial services provider will listen and be empathetic. They understand that you know your situation better than anyone else. When you have explained this, they will let you know what support they can offer to help you stay safe and regain control of your finances. They won’t take any action that puts you in risk of harm and they will never ask you to contact the abuser.
Important Documents
If possible, it’s good for you to know where your identification and important financial documents are kept.
If you do not have access to the documents that are usually needed to prove your identity (such as a passport, driving licence or birth certificate), your financial services provider may be able to accept different documents. This could include letters from a refuge, social worker, or local authority.
Here are some examples of important documents:
If you don’t have access to any of this information, speak to your financial services provider.
If you have a joint account with your partner or ex-partner, it may be possible to put a block on the account if it is safe to do so. Discuss your options fully with your financial services provider before putting a block in place.
There are several ways your financial services provider may be able to support you to stay safe. This might include:
Your financial services provider may be able to contact other organisations if they think that someone who has power of attorney (the legal right to make financial decisions for you) is not acting in your interests. If you think contacting the police or another organisation may put you at risk, please let your financial services provider know.
Financial service providers may also help you to regain control of your money by:
There is a lot of help and support available where you can talk things through and get some practical advice.
If you are in immediate danger, call the police on 999
NATIONAL HELPLINES
THE NATIONAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HELPLINE A freephone 24-hour helpline run in partnership by Refuge and Women’s Aid. It is a national service for women experiencing domestic violence, their family, friends, colleagues, and others calling on their behalf 0808 200 0247 (24 hours) helpline@refuge.org.uk and helpline@womensaid.org.uk https://www.nationaldahelpline.org.uk/
REFUGE Refuge is the largest domestic abuse organisation in the UK. On any given day our services support thousands of women and their children, helping them to overcome the physical, emotional, financial, and logistical impacts of abuse and rebuild their lives — free from fear.
https://refuge.org.uk/ Freephone 0808 2000 247
SAFELIVES SafeLives work with organisations across the UK to transform the response to domestic abuse.
They are the experts in what works to make victims and children safe from domestic abuse and keep them safe.
Email: info@safelives.org.uk https://safelives.org.uk/
SURVIVING ECONOMIC ABUSE Surviving Economic Abuse (SEA) is the only UK charity dedicated to raising awareness of economic abuse and transforming responses to it.
SEA has more information about economic abuse and regaining control, available at www.survivingeconomicabuse.org/i-need-help/ SEA’s website also contains information about helplines you can call if you are in immediate danger or if you need specialist support, for example with debt. Together with MoneyHelper, SEA provides the Financial Support Line for victims of domestic abuse. It offers specialist advice to victim-survivors of domestic abuse in financial difficulty. www.survivingeconomicabuse.org/what-we-do/financial-support-line/ 0808 1968845
VICTIM SUPPORT Free and confidential support if you’ve suffered from any crime, with information and support for victims of domestic abuse, as well as specialist case workers.
DEVOLVED NATION HELPLINES
NORTHERN IRISH WOMEN’S AID Supporting victims of domestic and sexual violence in Northern Ireland
0808 802 1414 (24 hours) info@womensaidni.org www.womensaidni.org
SCOTTISH WOMEN’S AID Scotland’s 24-hour Domestic Abuse and Forced Marriage Helpline
0800 027 1234 helpline@sdafmh.org.uk www.womensaid.scot or www.sdafmh.org.uk
WELSH WOMEN’S AID Support in Welsh, English and any other languages using LanguageLine.
https://welshwomensaid.org.uk/ Telephone: 0808 8010800 Text: 07458 143415 Email: info@livefearfreehelpline.wales Text phone users can contact us via Type Talk on 18001 0808 8010800
LIVE FEAR FREE HELPLINE LLINELL GYMORTH BYW HEB OFN Providing confidential support and information on domestic abuse, sexual violence, and violence against women in Wales. Available 24 hours, 7 days a week for women, men and children by telephone, text, email, and webchat. Provided by Welsh Women’s Aid funded by Welsh Government.
0808 80 10 8000 info@livefearfreehelpline.wales 078600 77 333 24/7 text service
SPECIALIST HELPLINES
THE NATIONAL CARELINE The National Careline provides support and information to the elderly, their carers and their families. We provide help and assistance by way of our free helpline and website that offers lots of advice and information relevant to the needs and aspirations of older people.
0800 0699 784 https://www.thenationalcareline.org/
AGE UK A free advice and resource service for older people
0800 678 1602 www.ageuk.org.uk
GALOP – NATIONAL LGBT+ DOMESTIC ABUSE HELPLINE Emotional and practical support for LGBT+ people experiencing domestic, emotional, or financial abuse
0800 999 5428 (Tuesday is a Trans* specific service) help@galop.org.uk www.galop.org.uk/domesticabuse
THE MEN’S ADVICE LINE A confidential helpline for all men experiencing domestic violence by a current or ex-partner
0808 801 0327 Info@mensadvice.org.uk www.mensadviceline.org.uk
RESPECT
Respect is a pioneering UK membership organisation in the domestic abuse sector. We lead on the development of safe, effective work with perpetrators, male victims, and young people using violence in their close relationships.
https://www.respect.uk.net/
STAY SAFE EAST Stay Safe East is run by and for disabled people. We provide advocacy and support services to survivors of domestic abuse, sexual violence, hate crime, harassment, and other forms of abuse. We serve communities in London.
https://www.staysafe-east.org.uk/
NOUR Nour provide trauma-informed, culturally competent services to adult survivors of abuse, including, but not limited to, survivors of domestic abuse, sexual violence, and childhood abuse.
Providing support to survivors from minoritised communities, particularly from the Muslim community.
https://www.nour-dv.org.uk/
KARMA NIRVANA First specialist charity for victims and survivors of Honour Based Abuse in the UK.
Lead the campaign against Honour Based Abuse supporting, empowering, and educating those impacted, so they can live a life free of abuse.
UK Helpline: 0800 5999 247 https://karmanirvana.org.uk/
DEBT AND MONEY
CITIZENS ADVICE Information, advice, and support on lots of different topics, including debt, money matters, housing and benefits
Support across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland
03444 111 444 www.citizensadvice.org.uk
MONEY HELPER Free and impartial money advice, set up by the UK Government.0800 138 7777
Typetalk 18001 0800 915 4622 https://www.moneyhelper.org.uk/en
MONEY ADVICE TRUST The Money Advice Trust provides free, independent debt advice to people across the UK through our telephone and online advice services helping people across the UK to tackle their debts and manage their money with confidence.
020 7489 7796 https://www.moneyadvicetrust.org/
STEP CHANGE Free, confidential, and expert debt advice and money guidance. Provide recommendations for the best solution or service for your circumstances. Support you while you deal with your money worries for as long as you need.
0800 138 1111 https://www.stepchange.org/
CREDIT REFERENCE AGENCIES You can receive a free credit report to understand more about your own credit information and all the financial services products held in your name by requesting a Statutory Credit Report from one or all of the Credit Reference Agencies.
www.equifax.co.uk www.experian.co.uk www.transunion.co.uk
LEGAL
LAW CENTRE NETWORK Centres which can offer free legal advice across the UK
www.lawcentres.org.uk
RIGHTS OF WOMEN
https://rightsofwomen.org.uk/
Free legal advice for women including family law and immigration advice.
OFFICE OF PUBLIC GUARDIAN Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) helps people in England and Wales to stay in control of decisions about their health and finance and make important decisions for others who cannot decide for themselves.
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/office-of-the-public-guardian
OFFICE OF PUBLIC GUARDIAN – SCOTLAND Part of the Scottish Courts and Tribunals with a national remit covering all of Scotland, focused on protecting and safeguarding the property and finances belonging to incapable adults living in Scotland.
https://www.publicguardian-scotland.gov.uk/
HOUSING AND BENEFITS
DEPARTMENT FOR WORK AND PENSIONS Information on different benefits and what you need to apply. Also apply online.
www.gov.uk/browse/benefits
SHELTER A free information and advice service and helpline on housing and homelessness in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland
0808 800 444 www.shelter.org.uk
TURN2US A website with information on benefits, charity, local authority grants and support services across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland
www.turn2us.org.uk
COST OF LIVING SUPPORT Find out what support is available to help with the cost of living. This includes income and disability benefits, bills and allowances, childcare, housing, and travel.
https://www.gov.uk/cost-of-living
Information contained in this leaflet is based on public sources and has been assumed to be reliable and no representation or undertaking is made or given as to the accuracy, completeness or reliability of this leaflet or the information or views contained herein. Neither SEA nor UK Finance or any of their respective members, officers, employees, or agents shall have any liability to any person arising from or in connection with any use of the leaflet or any information or views contained herein.
This leaflet is produced and co-owned by UK Finance and SEA and is not to be used or reproduced without the express permission of both UK Finance and SEA.
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