Tag: Surviving Economic Abuse

Interactive tool to tackle domestic economic abuse launched

  • UK government launches interactive tool to help businesses and charities spot and tackle domestic economic abuse
  • Victims of domestic abuse are at an increased risk around Christmas with reports to police forces in England and Wales rising by 25%
  • Launch delivers on government pledge in summer to transform HMRC internal guide into a public facing resource, and coincides with £12 million of support at Autumn Statement for tackling domestic abuse

The UK government has today [Wednesday 20 December 2023] launched a free interactive guide to help businesses spot and tackle domestic economic abuse.

Survivors of domestic abuse are at an increased risk around Christmas and, on average, it is reported that police forces in England and Wales receive over 100 calls relating to domestic abuse every hour, and around 95% of domestic abuse victims experience economic abuse. During the Christmas period, the number of calls can rise by 25%.

The new tool, available on GOV.UK, aims to help call handlers at businesses and charities recognise abuse when speaking to customers and clients.

Specialist charities such as Surviving Economic Abuse will be on standby to offer training to interested organisations.

Financial Secretary to the Treasury, Nigel Huddleston, said: “We’ve made economic abuse punishable by law, but it’s just as important that we provide the support needed to help victims escape dangerous situations.

“That’s what today’s toolkit is about – the more organisations that use it, the faster we can help bring an end to abuse at home.”

In summer this year, the government announced there would be a new interactive tool to help trained advisers in businesses and charities spot and tackle economic abuse. Since then, HMRC has worked closely with Surviving Economic Abuse holding workshops with charities and financial services firms to develop the tool and help get this right.

Based on a caller’s response, a trained call handler will navigate through the interactive tool to help identify potential victims. This will support the handler to decide what help the organisation might be able to offer the customer as well as provide details of relevant charities and support networks.

The launch coincides with £12 million of support for charities working with victims of domestic abuse, announced last month by the Chancellor at the Autumn Statement, helping to tackle abuse at home and help survivors rebuild their lives.

Dr Nicola Sharp-Jeffs OBE, CEO and founder of Surviving Economic Abuse, said: “Economic abuse, where an abuser controls money and the things money can buy, is a devastating form of domestic abuse.

“It makes it harder for victim-survivors and their children to leave and rebuild their lives safely. Reporting abuse can be intimidating, so it’s important that whoever a victim-survivor reaches out to for help – the police, a bank manager, supermarket cashier or call handler – they can give a supportive response.

“We’re pleased the Treasury has launched this toolkit to support businesses to play their role in bringing economic abuse out from behind closed doors and supporting survivors to take safe steps to freedom.

“It’s vital that employers are properly trained in spotting the signs of economic abuse and confidently signposting to specialist support. The right response will be life changing.”

Economic abuse, which Surviving Economic Abuse estimates one in five women in the UK have experienced in the last 12 months, is when an individual’s ability to acquire, use and maintain economic resources are taken away by someone else in a coercive or controlling way.

Surviving Economic Abuse research found seven in ten front-line professionals reported the number of survivors of economic abuse coming to their organisation for help had increased since the start of the pandemic. By the end of the first Covid-19 lockdown, the charity found one in five women were planning to seek help around welfare benefits.

Tackling domestic abuse is a UK Government priority and improving the response to economic abuse is integral to this. For the first time in history, economic abuse is now recognised in law as part of the statutory definition of domestic abuse included in the Domestic Abuse Act 2021.

This is in recognition of the devastating impact it can have on victims’ lives.

UK businesses to get free government tool to tackle economic abuse

  • Interactive guide expected to help staff spot and tackle economic abuse
  • 95% of women who experience domestic abuse report experiencing economic abuse
  • Treasury minister calls for experts to provide feedback on the guide

UK businesses and charities are set to benefit from a free interactive guide to help their staff spot and tackle economic abuse when speaking to customers over the phone, Financial Secretary to the Treasury Victoria Atkins has announced today.

The interactive guide, which will be available widely later this year, is being released to 30,000 HMRC staff today to help them spot the signs and create an appropriate environment for victims to disclose their experiences. It builds on the government’s Economic Abuse Toolkit, released earlier this year.

Victoria Atkins met with staff and survivors at Advance charity’s West London Women’s Centre today to mark the announcement and was joined by former Love Island contestant and domestic abuse campaigner Malin Andersson.

The minister ran through an early demo of the tool with attendees at the visit to drum up momentum as she called on experts to work with HMRC to get the online tool right, before they distribute it freely online later this year.

By increasing the awareness of staff in government, business and charities of economic abuse, the government hopes the new interactive tool will play its part in stopping violence against women and girls, to build stronger communities for future generations.

Financial Secretary to the Treasury Victoria Atkins said: “The government passed the landmark Domestic Abuse Act and I am determined to build on that commitment to help victims.

“Economic and financial abuse can be less understood than other forms of domestic abuse, which is why it is vital organisations share best practice with one another whenever they can.

“That is why I’ve asked HMRC to work with charities and experts over the summer to produce a publicly available interactive guide which staff from any organisation which speaks to customers will be able use.”

Economic abuse, which domestic violence charity Refuge estimates 16% of adults in the UK have experienced, is when an individual’s ability to acquire, use and maintain economic resources are taken away by someone else in a coercive or controlling way.

Internal guidance has been distributed to 30,000 HMRC staff today to help front line staff spot victims of economic abuse when speaking to them over the phone. It will help them understand the different types of economic abuse, as well as what signs and characteristics to look out for.

The aim is for this guidance, with support from industry, charities and experts over the summer, to be turned into a free interactive tool to support businesses and organisations whose employees also speak to customers daily.

Malin Andersson said: ““We need everyone to work together if we’re going to be able to stamp out domestic abuse once and for all, so it’s fantastic to see an initiative which will make a difference by training so many people, from businesses and charities, to recognise economic abuse.”

Minister Atkins will also introduce the early demo of the interactive guidance to representatives from the financial services sector and charities at a roundtable later today, where she will hear more about what the sector is doing to tackle economic abuse and what more can be done.

By working with stakeholders to develop and tailor it, the government wants the interactive guidance to reflect the real-world experiences of victims.

Niki Scordi, Advance’s CEO said: ““Understanding the behaviours of domestic abusers and their continuous attempts to intimidate and control survivors, mainly women and children, long after they leave the abusive home is vital.

“This includes control through economic and financial means, such as child support, school fees, bank accounts, loans and access to employment.

“Supporting survivors with specialist Domestic Abuse Advocates in the community and charities like Advance is essential to help change, and sometimes save, the lives of those devasted by domestic and economic abuse.”

The internal guidance distributed by HMRC to its staff today comes hot off the heels of the Economic Abuse Toolkit released in January 2023, which aims to help public sector organisations train staff to identify economic abuse.

Specialist charity Surviving Economic Abuse (SEA), which was one of the organisations which contributed to the Toolkit, has seen a 150% increase in its website user numbers over the past two years (April 2021 5200 users. April 2023 13,000 users).

SEA research also found seven in ten front-line professionals reported the number of victims of economic abuse coming to their organisation for help had increased since the start of the pandemic. By the end of the first lockdown, SEA found one in five women were planning to seek help around welfare benefits.

Tackling domestic abuse is a government priority and improving the response to economic abuse is integral to this. For the first time in history, economic abuse is now recognised in law as part of the statutory definition of domestic abuse included in the Domestic Abuse Act 2021. This is in recognition of the devastating impact it can have on victims’ lives.

Dr Nicola Sharp-Jeffs OBE, CEO and founder of Surviving Economic Abuse said: “Economic abuse is an insidious and often invisible form of control, one which can trap a victim-survivor in a relationship with an abuser and leave them feeling like there is no escape.

“This form of abuse can create dependency on an abuser by restricting their access to economic resources, or instability if the survivor is forced to cover all household costs. It causes long lasting harm including debt and bad credit, so that even when someone manages to leave, these effects can follow them around for the rest of their lives, often preventing them from moving on safely.

“We know that victim-survivors are more likely to disclose economic abuse to their bank than they are to the police.

“It is crucial that frontline employees – whether they work in the public or private sector – are trained to understand economic abuse and how abusers might use their service to continue to control a victim.

“It is vital they are given the knowledge and the tools to spot the signs of economic abuse, develop specialist responses and feel confident signposting a survivor to broader support. The right response can be life changing.

“We’re delighted to see the Treasury take this important step to ensure victim-survivors of economic abuse get a good response whoever they speak to. We look forward to working together to ensure this new interactive guide helps organisations effectively respond to economic abuse.”

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