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Legal aid restrictions a further burden for financial abuse victims

12 Mawrth 2015

Citizens Advice has today warned of the challenges many victims of domestic abuse face getting help, with financial abuse victims facing additional barriers. The charity has said that financial abuse is often little understood by professionals and victims struggle to obtain legal aid.

Today Women’s Aid and the TUC have released a new report highlighting the experiences of victims of financial abuse. The Justice Select Committee of MPs has also today recommended changes to legal aid to ensure domestic abuse victims are able to get justice.

Gillian Guy, chief executive of Citizens Advice, said:

“When their finances have been used against them it can be difficult for victims of abuse to see a way out. Nine in ten advisers we surveyed had helped someone with financial abuse. Control over money or forcing their partner into debt gives some abusers a means to isolate victims that is too often invisible to the authorities. As financial abuse is often little-understood by professionals, banks and debtors, the work of charities like Women’s Aid to shed light on it is vital.

“When people seek help for any kind of domestic abuse the right support must be available and legal aid has a key role to play. Victims of abuse currently face overwhelming challenges because of the restrictions on legal aid. It is unacceptable that victims are left to shoulder the burden of obtaining evidence in order to protect their children or separate from their abuser. Paying legal aid contributions or meeting evidence requirements that mainly focus on physical abuse create extra barriers to justice for victims of financial abuse. The Government must extend its admirable efforts to tackle coercive control and domestic violence to ensure victims of all forms of abuse can get the support they need.”

Notes to editors:

  1. The Citizens Advice service comprises a network of local bureaux, all of which are independent charities, the Citizens Advice consumer service and national charity Citizens Advice. Together we help people resolve their money, legal and other problems by providing information and advice and by influencing policymakers. For more see the Citizens Advice website.
  2. The advice provided by the Citizens Advice service is free, independent, confidential, and impartial, and available to everyone regardless of race, gender, disability, sexual orientation, religion, age or nationality.
  3. To find your local bureau in England and Wales, visit citizensadvice.org.uk. You can also get advice online at adviceguide.org.uk
  4. You can get consumer advice from the Citizens Advice consumer service on 03454 04 05 06 or 03454 04 05 05 for Welsh language speakers
  5. Citizens Advice Bureaux in England and Wales advised 2.3 million clients on 5.4 million problems from October 2013 to September 2014. For full 2013/2014  service statistics see our quarterly publication Advice trends
  6. Citizens Advice service staff are supported by more than 21,000 trained volunteers, working at over 3,000 service outlets across England and Wales.