What is Economic Abuse in a Relationship, Separation or Divorce?
In this blog, our London Family Law Solicitors look at what amounts to economic abuse in a relationship or during a separation or divorce.
Our Family Lawyers can help if you are being subjected to or accused of economic abuse either during or after the breakdown of a relationship.
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Call the expert London Family Lawyers at OTS Solicitors on 0203 959 9123 or complete our online enquiry form.
Our lawyers speak Arabic, Armenian, Farsi, French/Mauritian Creole, Spanish, Tamil Tagalog/Ilonggo, Urdu/Punjabi.
Surviving Economic Abuse
The first step in surviving economic abuse is to recognise the abuse for what it is. It isn’t like a black eye or broken arm; it can be subtle and invidious.
Many people who are victims of economic abuse don’t realise they are victims until they try to leave the relationship. Our Domestic Abuse Solicitors are told that a victim’s partner was:
- Only helping because the victim isn’t good with figures or capable of dealing with admin and paperwork
- In love with the victim so their behaviour can't be economic abuse or controlling and coercive
- Best at making financial decisions so they should take full control
Some relationships can work best when one partner takes responsibility for one aspect of the relationship and the other handles other matters. That can still be a healthy and equal relationship. In other married and unmarried relationships, economic abuse is part of the domestic abuse that one partner is subjected to.
What is economic abuse?
Economic abuse is a type of domestic abuse. It can be carried out in isolation or with other forms of domestic violence, such as physical or sexual assaults or emotional abuse.
Economic abuse is a type of coercion and control. In a relationship, economic abuse involves one partner behaving in a way that stops the other partner from being economically independent.
Any form of economic abuse can occur in married and unmarried relationships. Victims can be either men or women, whether they are working and whether they are homeowners or financially successful.
Economic abuse in a personal relationship involves behaviour that makes the victim unable to make financial decisions, to use financial or other resources (such as housing or possessions) and leaves them trapped in the relationship through isolation and lack of resources.
Statistics on economic abuse
Surviving Economic Abuse is the only charity in the UK dedicated to raising awareness of economic abuse and changing the response to it. The charity commissioned research in 2024 on the incidence of economic abuse. It found nearly 15% of the women interviewed said they had experienced economic abuse from a current or former partner within the past 12 months. The figures revealed:
- 27% of women who experienced economic abuse also said that a partner or ex-partner had threatened to hurt or kill them
- 23% of the women subjected to economic abuse said that the abuse had prevented them from leaving the relationship
- 36% of the women subjected to economic abuse experienced mental ill health, including depression, panic attacks, or suicidal thoughts
- 19% of the affected women needed to borrow money to cover the cost of essential items or bills
The law on economic abuse
The Serious Crime Act 2015 made controlling or coercive behaviour in a family relationship a criminal offence. The police may not act on a complaint but that does not mean that a victim of economic abuse doesn’t have legal remedies.
Economic abuse is a type of domestic abuse referred to in the Domestic Abuse Act 2021. You can make allegations of economic abuse to help secure an injunction order to assist you in either leaving a relationship or in providing ongoing legal protection.
In financial proceedings after a marriage breakdown, you can explain how economic abuse has impacted you and your health. For example, if you have been diagnosed with low self-esteem and this is affecting your ability to get a job or if your partner forced you to be a stay-at-home parent as part of their financial abuse so you have lost out on your career or years of income and pension contributions.
If you are in the UK on a Spouse Visa and your relationship breaks down because of economic abuse, or any other form of domestic abuse, you can ask the Home Office to grant you Indefinite Leave to Remain through using the domestic violence concession.
Signs of economic abuse
Signs of economic abuse include:
- Refusing to agree to your name going on the title deeds to the property or the tenancy agreement
- Not allowing you access to a joint bank account or a savings account
- Restricting your access to your salary or your savings
- Stopping you from working outside the home or restricting your hours of work
- Requiring you to fund household bills and your partner’s living expenses or lifestyle while they ring-fence their income
- Needing permission to buy small ticket items or to use the family car
- Needing to produce evidence and receipts if you purchase anything
- Telling you that loans, debt or overdrafts must be taken in your name. This is referred to as coerced debt
- Making threats of physical violence if financial demands are not met or financial controls are not obeyed
- Psychological and emotional abuse to maintain coercive control. For example, telling you that you are too stupid to have a bank card or that it is all your fault that debts have been run up when that isn’t the case
- Stopping you from seeing friends or family or from leaving the relationship because you have no access to money
Help from OTS Solicitors to get out of a relationship involving economic abuse
Our Divorce Solicitors in London can help you survive economic abuse by providing specialist legal advice on:
- Ending your relationship
- Separating if you are in an unmarried relationship
- Starting no-fault divorce proceedings
- Implications of economic abuse if you are in the UK on a Spouse Visa or Unmarried Partner Visa
- Starting injunction proceedings to apply for a non-molestation order or ouster/occupation order so you and the children can stay in the family home
- Applying to the court for a financial order
- How to protect your children by applying for a child arrangement order
- How to deal with post-separation economic abuse. For example, your ex-partner refuses to comply with a financial court order and sign paperwork so the sale of the family home can go ahead
All our Family Lawyers provide confidential legal advice to help you work out the best options for you and your children.
Online and London Family Law Solicitors
Call the expert London Family Lawyers at OTS Solicitors on 0203 959 9123 or complete our online enquiry form to get the family law advice you need.
Our lawyers speak Arabic, Armenian, Farsi, French/Mauritian Creole, Spanish, Tamil Tagalog/Ilonggo, Urdu/Punjabi.
Related Posts
Applying for an Injunction - OTS Solicitors
Applying for a Child Arrangement Order
How to Respond to a Divorce Application
Divorcing When you are in the UK on a Visa - OTS Solicitors
Negotiating a Financial Settlement
Child Custody After Divorce UK
Unmarried Couples and Rights on Separation - OTS Solicitors
Staying in the UK if Your Relationship Ends Because of Domestic Violence - OTS Solicitors