Financial Abuse 2026-03-23
2026-03-23
TAGS
Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Partial Answer
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Context
Economic abuse is an issue affecting many victims, even post-relationship. The VAWG strategy includes commitments to address economic abuse.
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.
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.
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Assessment & feedback
Specific enforcement gaps and methods were not detailed.
Response accuracy
Q2
Partial Answer
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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.
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?
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.
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Assessment & feedback
Specifics on income assessments and surcharges were not provided.
Response accuracy
Q3
Partial Answer
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Context
Women often struggle to access child maintenance safely while enduring financial abuse from their partners.
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?
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.
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Assessment & feedback
Specifics on income assessments and surcharges were not provided.
Response accuracy