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January 2026 - Financial Services

One in seven UK women has experienced economic abuse in the past 12 months, according to a recent study: Recent research reveals that one in seven women in the UK has experienced economic abuse from a partner or ex-partner in the past 12 months. According to the study, this amounts to approximately 4.1 million women having their financial resources controlled by an abuser. Worryingly, over half (55%) of UK women are unaware of this widespread form of domestic abuse, while only a third (33%) claim to know a little about it.

The data for this report, released in December 2025, was collected through a nationally representative survey of adult women, between October 25 and November 1 2024, conducted by Ipsos UK in partnership with the UK charity Surviving Economic Abuse (SEA). The aim was to understand their experiences of economic abuse and its harmful financial, mental, and physical health impacts. Of the 2,849 women who completed the survey, nearly three-quarters (72%) reported that economic abuse had caused them harm.

The report, which categorises economic abuse into three main types: economic restriction, economic exploitation, and economic sabotage, shows that nearly one in ten (9%) UK women experienced at least one economic restrictive behaviour in the past year, equating to about 2.4 million women. These behaviours include having limited access to money or material resources to create dependency on their abuser, such as a partner controlling or blocking access to bank accounts or withholding essential financial support for daily needs or long-term health care. Additionally, the survey found that one in nine (11%) UK women experienced economically exploitative behaviours such as having credit taken out in their name without consent, being forced to pay their wages into their abuser's account, or their abuser refusing to contribute to household costs.

The findings further reveal that just under a quarter of those surveyed (24%) had experienced economic sabotage where their abuser had damaged their credit score by running up debts in their name. Furthermore, one in ten mothers (10%) reported that their abuser refused to pay child support or did so inconsistently, despite being financially able to contribute.

Rosa Wilson-Garwood (SEA Head of Impact and Partnerships)states, “Economic abuse is at the heart of violence against women and girls. It is a form of domestic abuse used by abusers to create economic dependence and instability, exert control, and prevent victim-survivors from escaping and rebuilding their lives.” 

She calls for a cross-societal response to disrupt and prevent abusers and emphasises the need for interventions that provide life-saving support to victim-survivors.

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