Young adults are twice as likely to miss economic abuse red flag as older people, putting lives at risk

• New research from Surviving Economic Abuse, supported by TSB, found that nearly one in four UK adults believe one or more signs of economic abuse are not economic abuse.
• Alarmingly, young people aged 18-24 missed one or more signs at double the rate of those aged 55 and over.
•  Analysis shows 4.2 million UK women experienced economic abuse from a current or ex-partner in the last year alone.
• SEA and TSB have launched the Spotting the Signs Challenge to help the nation recognise the red flags ahead of Economic Abuse Awareness Day (26 November).

Shocking new research from Surviving Economic Abuse (SEA), supported by TSB, suggests young people aged 18-24 are less likely than other age group to spot economic abuse. This is despite young women experiencing this form of domestic abuse at a much higher rate.

To tackle this, SEA and TSB have launched the Spotting the Signs Challenge, a national campaign helping people recognise the red flags of economic abuse and safely take action. Ahead of Economic Abuse Day (26 November), the organisations are calling on the public to take part in the Challenge and start life-saving conversations.

New figures released today from the survey, conducted by Ipsos UK on behalf of SEA and TSB, show that:

• Nearly one in four UK adults identified one or more warning signs – such as a partner controlling spending, stopping them from working or taking out credit in their name without their consent – as either “probably” or “definitely” not economic abuse.
• Shockingly, 7% of UK adults didn’t recognise any of the examples of economic abuse or were not sure.
• And over a third (36%) of 18-24-year-olds missed one or more signs, double the rate of those aged 55 or over.
• The data suggests young women are at greater risk: around one in six UK women experienced economic abuse from a current or ex-partner in the last year – rising to one in four among 18-24-year-olds.

Economic abuse is a devastating form of domestic abuse affecting 4.2 million UK women in the last year alone. It involves a current or ex-partner controlling someone’s money and resources to trap them in a dangerous situation. Two-thirds (67%) of women reported experiencing economic abuse alongside other forms of domestic abuse, including their current or ex-partner belittling or humiliating them, acting in an overly jealous way or making repeated accusations that they were unfaithful. One in five (20%) said they experienced a current or ex-partner making threats to hurt or kill them.

Despite its scale, half of UK adults report they don’t know anything about the term “economic abuse”.¹ Survivors are more than three times more likely to say they had sought information, help or advice from a friend, family member or new partner (39%) than a community organisation, charity or specialist service (11%), indicating that friends and family are key to recognising economic abuse and helping someone to safety.

SEA has partnered with TSB to help raise awareness and ensure victim-survivors can access support, including from their bank. TSB’s Flee Fund provides survivors with immediate access to up to £500 to escape a dangerous abuser and has helped over 800 people since its launch in December 2022. 

Sam Smethers, CEO of Surviving Economic Abuse, said: “Our research is a wake-up call:  too many young people don’t recognise the signs of economic abuse, even though nearly one in four young women experience it – higher than any other age group. But this isn’t just a young person’s issue – we need to raise awareness across all generations, so everyone knows how to spot and respond to this hidden form of abuse.

“That’s why we’ve partnered with TSB to launch the Spotting the Signs Challenge. We all know how to act when someone is in physical danger, but when someone’s economic freedom is stripped away, leaving them trapped with a dangerous partner, far too many people don’t know what to do.  

“Support is out there. Banks like TSB and specialist charities like SEA are ready to help survivors rebuild their lives – but we need your help to ensure they reach us. By recognising and naming economic abuse, you can make the difference between someone staying trapped with an abuser and taking their first step towards safety. Simply spotting it could change and save a life.”

Kate Osiadacz, Head of Responsible Business, TSB, said: “The impact of economic abuse on individuals can be devastating, trapping victims in a spiral of debt and stripping them of their financial independence – and in the worst cases, leading to the loss of life.

“We hope the launch of this Challenge will spark a conversation about economic abuse and help people spot the signs of this crime, so that survivors can identify and access the help they need.”

Learn the signs. Start a conversation. You could save a life.

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For further information or to arrange an interview with a victim-survivor or SEA spokesperson, please contact the Surviving Economic Abuse press office on: media@survivingeconomicabuse.org / 07786 073249

Notes to editors:

¹ When asked “Before answering this survey, had you heard of the term 'economic abuse'?”, 50% selected either “Have not heard of it and don't know anything about it” (31%), “Have heard of it, but don't know anything about it” (15%) or “Don’t know” (4%).

1. If someone you care about is being abused, or you think they might be, Surviving Economic Abuse has information on some of the signs to look out for and what you can do to help:

Lara* was trapped with an abusive husband for seven years and knows how easily economic abuse can go unnoticed: “He would wait until I was asleep and take my bank card, running up charges. He made me buy him a mobile phone, then smashed it in front of me and told me I had to buy another. He would force me to buy him clothes we couldn’t afford, and if I pushed back, he’d start a fight.

“I mentioned things to friends – how he took my card, how I couldn’t say no without him exploding – but they brushed it off as ‘just arguments’. One friend even lent me money when he stole my credit card so I could pay the interest, but nobody said anything about what was really happening. I didn’t realise how manipulated I was by him. I wish someone had recognised it for what it was. If you have a friend or family member going through what I went through, make sure they know they can talk to you. Just knowing someone sees what’s happening can make all the difference.”

Look out for warning signs

• Are they short of money or unable to buy inexpensive items even if they work? Have they asked to borrow money to pay bills or for essential items? 
• Do they say their partner deals with all money matters? Are their wages or benefits paid directly into their partner’s account? 
• Are they counting the pennies, or seeking their partner’s permission before making any purchases? 
• Have they left their work when they liked their job? Do they make excuses to not join friends for coffee and meals out? 
• Do they wear ill-fitting or worn-out clothing? Do they not have the money to go to the hairdressers or buy personal items? 

How to offer support

• Express concern - don’t ask too many questions, but say help is available and that they are not alone. 
• Believe them – take time to listen and recognise it may take time to act. 
• Provide practical help – offer a spare room or provide essential items like food, clothing and toiletries. 
• Have information about domestic abuse services to hand, such as the National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247, run by Refuge. Surviving Economic Abuse has information on available support, including how professionals like the police and banks can help: https://survivingeconomicabuse.org/i-need-help/

2. Figures are from research carried out by Ipsos on behalf of Surviving Economic Abuse and TSB. Ipsos UK interviewed a representative quota sample of 5,094 Adults (2,844 women and 2,238 men) aged 18+ in the UK. Some questions were asked of women and men, some of women only. Fieldwork was carried out between Wednesday 22nd October – Wednesday 29th October. The sample obtained is representative of the UK 18+ offline population with quotas on age, sex, region and working status.

The data has been weighted to the known offline population proportions for age within gender, region, working status within sex, social grade, ethnicity, household size and presence of children under 18 in the household to reflect the adult population in the UK.

3. To understand UK adults’ ability to spot the signs of economic abuse, the survey asked respondents: “If a friend told you they had experienced the following from a partner/ ex-partner, would you consider it to be economic abuse?”:

• The partner/ ex-partner controlled, or tried to control, access to your friend's personal bank account
• The partner/ ex-partner repeatedly refused to pay their agreed share of the rent, mortgage, household bills or childcare costs, despite having enough money to do so
• The partner/ ex-partner prevented your friend from getting a job, training or studying or made it difficult for them to do so
• The partner/ ex-partner refused to give your friend child support/ child maintenance or paid it unreliably when they could afford to do so
• The partner/ ex-partner controlled, or tried to control, how your friend spent their own money
• The partner/ ex-partner took out credit in your friends' name without their consent or because they were scared to refuse.

23% of UK adults selected “definitely not” or “probably not” economic abuse for at least one of the six behaviours presented. For young adults aged 18-24, 36% did this (36% of n=555), compared to 18% of older adults aged 55 and over (18% of n=1,686). This suggests that adults aged 18-24 are twice as likely as those aged 55+ to fail to recognise abusive behaviour as economic abuse.

4. To understand women’s experiences of economic abuse, the survey asked 2,844 women: “Have you experienced any of the following behaviours from a partner or ex-partner in the last 12 months?” The survey revealed that one in seven (16%) UK women experienced economic abuse from a current or ex-partner in the last year (i.e. reported having experienced at least one of the listed economically abusive behaviours in the past 12 months)– rising to one in four (26% of n=324) 18–24-year-olds. Analysis by SEA and Ipsos found that in the last year alone, 4.21 million UK women 18+ experienced economic abuse, when a partner or ex-partner controlled their access to money and economic resources (i.e. housing, phone, employment, utilities, clothes and food).

The total population figure for Women aged 18+ in the United Kingdom is 26.93 million. Source: ONS Annual Population Survey for 2024 (October 2023-September 2024). 16% of UK women aged 18+, or equivalent to 4.21 million, have experienced behaviour(s) considered to be economic abuse. If the 95% confidence interval is +/- 2.4%, that is 13.23% - 18.03%, an estimate of between 3.56 million and 4.86 million. All polls are subject to a wide range of potential sources of error.

5. Of the women who experienced economic abuse from a current or ex-partner in the last 12 months, 39% sought help from a friend, new partner, family member or relative compared to 11% of people who sought help from a domestic abuse charity or service, community organisation or specialist service.

6. About Surviving Economic Abuse

Surviving Economic Abuse (SEA) is the only charity in the UK dedicated to raising awareness of economic abuse and transforming responses to it. All our work is informed by Experts by Experience – a group of women who speak about what they have gone through so that they can be a force for change. Economic abuse occurs when someone’s partner controls (through restriction, exploitation and/or sabotage) how they acquire, use and maintain economic resources such as accommodation, food, clothing and transportation. https://survivingeconomicabuse.org/