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Economic abuse
Economic abuse is a form of domestic abuse. According to the charity Surviving Economic Abuse, it occurs in 95% of domestic abuse cases. Find out how HL can support you if it's happening to you.
On this page
Spotting the signs
Economic abuse can be difficult to spot and could begin with behaviours that at first seem protective and caring, for example, offering to take care of all the finances. If you think it’s happening to you or you’re concerned about someone you care about, here are some other signs to look out for:
- change in behaviour due to being frightened of an abuser’s reaction
- being isolated from family and friends
- money being controlled, spending restricted, and needing to ask for money when it’s needed
- monitoring of internet or social media use, or texts, emails or post tracked
- important financial information being hidden
- having an account or credit card opened by someone else with debt being built up
- the abuser might tell the victim the abuse is their fault, or that they’re overreacting
How we can help
We understand domestic abuse is a complex issue, where victims need ongoing support. We know some of our clients will be impacted. We’re here to help, so please don’t hesitate to contact us. Our colleagues are trained on what to look out for and ways to help provide support. For example:
- move conversations to a different channel and give more time to consider how to speak to us in safety
- agree a phrase which can alert us if it’s no longer safe to talk
- with consent, we can record relevant information about the abuse being experienced and provide ongoing support to help with financial independence and security
How to tell us about your needs
Complete our form online
Log in to your account to complete our two-page form.
Page one will allow you to select your support options. Page two will ask you to tell us more about your personal circumstances.
Call our helpdesk
If you do not have an online account or prefer to talk to someone directly, call our Helpdesk.
What to expect when you tell us about your needs
- The information you give us will go to our specialist team. They'll use it to look at the ways we can support you.
- We'll add your notes to our records, so you won't need to tell us again.
- You can ask us to update or remove this information at any time.
- The information is kept on your client record and is confidential. It cannot be seen by anyone other than approved HL staff.
- We won't usually need to, but if you complete the form online and we have questions about your circumstances or believe we might be able to offer you more support, our specialist team may contact you. If you’d rather we did not contact you, call us at a time that suits you to speak to us directly.
Organisations that can offer support
You don’t have to wait for an emergency to get help. If you’re a victim, it’s important to tell someone. There are lots of organisations offering support:
- The NHS and Gov.uk provide helpful information on recognising the signs and other useful resources for getting help.
- Surviving Economic Abuse offer specialist advice through their Financial Support Line to help those who have experienced abuse and are in financial difficulty to regain control of their finances - 0808 196 8845.
- Women can call the National Domestic Abuse Helpline run by Refuge free any time for confidential, non-judgemental information and support - 0808 200 0247.
- Women’s Aid provide life saving services in England, with lots of useful resources and a new online chat support.
- Male victims can contact the Men's Advice Line - 0808 801 0327.
- Galop support LGBT+ people who have experienced abuse and violence - 0800 999 5428.
- If you are in immediate danger, call 999 and ask for the police. If you can’t speak and are calling on a mobile press 55 to have your call transferred to the police.