Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Financial Abuse

Monday 23 March 2026 · 3 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 3 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The Department for Work and Pensions sits on the interministerial group on violence against women and girls
  • The VAWG strategy aims to prevent the child maintenance system from being used as a tool of abuse by removing direct pay
  • The Department for Work and Pensions is working to ensure state systems are not used as tools by abusers in cases of domestic abuse

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Fred Thomas Lab Plymouth Moor View
Benefits & Welfare Women & Equalities
Context

Economic abuse is an issue affecting many victims, even post-relationship. The VAWG strategy includes commitments to address economic abuse.

Question

What steps she is taking to help tackle financial abuse. Abusive ex-partners often continue their abuse by withholding funds from children and former partners, causing financial hardship and forcing survivors into contact with perpetrators. In Plymouth, a constituent left an abusive relationship but is now owed £48,000 in child maintenance payments despite court orders.

Answer from Jess Phillips

The Department for Work and Pensions sits on the interministerial group on violence against women and girls. The VAWG strategy commits to removing direct pay, enabling the Child Maintenance Service to manage payments and prevent the system from being used as a tool of abuse.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific enforcement gaps and methods were not detailed.

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Q2 Fred Thomas Lab Plymouth Moor View
Benefits & Welfare Women & Equalities
Context

Financial abuse can persist even when couples are not separated, impacting women's ability to secure child maintenance without direct contact with their abusers.

Question

Is the Home Office working with DWP colleagues to strengthen income assessments using HMRC data and remove the 2% collect and pay surcharge so survivors can secure child support without direct contact?

Answer from Jess Phillips

The Department for Work and Pensions is a core part of the interministerial group working on the VAWG strategy, focusing on financial tools used in cases of domestic abuse. The aim is to ensure state systems are not used as tools by abusers.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specifics on income assessments and surcharges were not provided.

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Q3 John Milne Lib Dem Horsham
Benefits & Welfare Women & Equalities
Context

Women often struggle to access child maintenance safely while enduring financial abuse from their partners.

Question

Is the Home Office working with DWP colleagues to strengthen income assessments using HMRC data and remove the 2% collect and pay surcharge so survivors can secure child support without direct contact?

Answer from Jess Phillips

The Department for Work and Pensions is a core part of the interministerial group working on the VAWG strategy, focusing on financial tools used in cases of domestic abuse. The aim is to ensure state systems are not used as tools by abusers.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specifics on income assessments and surcharges were not provided.

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