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, , 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 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.
Notes to editors
Further information
- If you would like to find out more about the interactive
tool, please visit Public Sector Toolkits -
GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
- Today’s tool, and HMRC’s internal guidance, builds on the
government’s Economic Abuse Toolkit which launched in January
2023 aimed at the public sector.
- If you are worried you might be experiencing economic abuse
or a family member or friend might be, visit the Surviving
Economic Abuse website for further information on accessing
support: https://survivingeconomicabuse.org/i-need-help/
