A devastating new study has exposed a hidden crisis of economic abuse affecting millions of families across the United Kingdom. Research indicates that nearly four million children are living with the consequences of this form of coercive control, where a current or former partner manipulates and restricts access to money and resources.
The Scale of a Hidden Crisis
The research, conducted by the charity Surviving Economic Abuse in partnership with Ipsos, surveyed 5,094 adults. It found that more than a quarter of mothers (27 per cent) have experienced economic abuse in the past year. This form of abuse involves a partner controlling a victim's income, bank accounts, and ability to work, creating a powerful trap that prevents escape.
The findings suggest that approximately 3.9 million children are being affected. Alarmingly, one in seven mothers reported that their child or teenager had suffered poor mental health as a direct result of this financial coercion.
Becky's Story: From Control to Survival
The human cost of these statistics is starkly illustrated by the experience of Becky*, who was just 18 when she met her future abuser. Initially charming and generous, he soon took control of all household finances after she moved in. Unbeknownst to her, he stopped paying council tax and began accumulating significant debts in her name.
After the birth of their first child, he pressured her to quit her job, promising to 'take care of her'. He then made returning to work impossible by cancelling car insurance and refusing to pay for childcare. Isolated from her support network by repeated house moves, Becky was subjected to verbal abuse and lived in constant fear of his volatile temper.
The abuse escalated when he forced her to take out loans and credit cards for his use. The stress became so severe that she suffered stroke-like symptoms during a panic attack while eight months pregnant with their second child. Despite a brief separation and false promises of change, the exploitation continued. "He took credit cards out in my name... debt letters were constantly coming in," she recounted.
Children Targeted and Systems Failing
Perpetrators often directly target children's economic security as a further means of control. The survey found that a third of women who endured economic abuse said their ex-partner refused to pay child support or paid it unreliably. One in six reported a partner had stolen money from their child, such as birthday savings, or tried to block access to entitled benefit payments.
Consequences for families are severe. Seventeen per cent of mothers surveyed said they could not provide essential items like food or clothes for their children. Twenty per cent feared for their children's safety due to an ex-partner's economically abusive behaviour.
For Becky, escaping the relationship did not end the abuse. He stopped child maintenance payments and car finance, leaving her stranded. He harassed her neighbours and arrived at her home with a knife, leading her to contact police and social services. The financial damage was long-lasting: a ruined credit score left her unable to secure wifi, buy a TV, or furnish her new home.
"Applying for benefits is mentally draining with the judgement you receive," she said, describing feeling devalued by society. Her mental health deteriorated to the point of suicidal thoughts before she fought to rebuild her life.
Calls for Action and Support
The findings emerge amid concerns over systemic support. A separate survey last month by the victims' commissioner found less than half of victims were confident in the effectiveness of the criminal justice system.
Sam Smethers, CEO of Surviving Economic Abuse, stated: "Economic abuse is a dangerous form of coercive control and children are being harmed by it every day." She emphasised that perpetrators are stealing children's pocket money and stopping mothers accessing child benefit, pushing families into poverty and homelessness.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has pledged to tackle the "complex web of harm" in violence against women and girls as part of a new five-year strategy. Charities like Refuge continue to provide vital support, with The Independent's Brick by Brick campaign raising almost £600,000 last year to build new refuges.
Surviving Economic Abuse helps families escape by providing online resources and training professionals, including children's services, to identify the signs of this insidious abuse.
If you are experiencing feelings of distress, you can speak to the Samaritans confidentially on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website.
