Ensuring the safety and wellbeing of victim-survivors is fundamental to addressing economic abuse.
The resources and guidance on this page are designed to help professionals identify and respond to victim-survivors of economic abuse. You’ll also find case studies from the Local economic abuse advocacy (LEAA) model pilot.
On this page
How to support economic abuse victim-survivors with their safety and wellbeing
Supporting the safety and wellbeing of victim‑survivors of economic abuse means putting the right structures in place across local services. This includes making sure support is visible through strong public communication, routinely screening for economic abuse, and using risk assessments and safety plans that reflect the serious risk of harm caused by perpetrators of economic abuse.
For victim-survivors to rebuild their lives, they also need access to specialist, economic abuse‑aware long-term counselling, financial capability support, and opportunities to connect with others who understand their experiences. Both face‑to‑face and virtual peer support, including Surviving Economic Abuse’s Survivors’ Forum, can play an important role in reducing isolation and rebuilding confidence.
Together, these elements create a safer, more informed environment where victim‑survivors can regain control and move towards economic stability.
Screening for economic abuse
The LEAA model pilot project, delivered in partnership with RISE and Living Without Abuse (LWA), developed and tested two screening tools. Over the course of the pilot, almost 3,000 women were screened for economic abuse.
By embedding economic abuse screening into frontline practice, practitioners were able to uncover patterns of control that might otherwise have gone unnoticed, intervene earlier, and connect women with specialist support at critical moments.
The situation:
A support worker was working with a woman with additional needs who relied on others to help manage her finances. There were concerns about how her money was being used, but this had not been clearly identified as economic abuse.
She often had little money for essentials, despite receiving regular income. While there were signs of financial difficulty, it was unclear whether this was due to budgeting challenges or something more concerning.
Without a clear understanding of what was happening, there was a risk that unsafe financial arrangements would continue, leaving her vulnerable to ongoing harm and without the safeguards needed to protect her income.
The economic abuse advocacy:
The Support and Assessment Worker from Leicestershire Safeguarding Families:
- Used SEA’s screening tool, adapting questions to suit her needs
- Identified patterns of economic abuse and economic exploitation
- Used findings to evidence concerns within safeguarding processes
- Informed decision-making about safer financial arrangements
What changed:
- Economic abuse clearly identified and evidenced
- Safer decisions made about who manages her finances
- Reduced risk of ongoing financial harm
- Greater professional confidence in responding
Why this matters:
- Economic abuse can be mistaken for financial difficulty
- Simple tools can support identification and evidence
- Recognition is key to enabling safer decisions
- Adapting approaches ensures accessibility
Choosing the right tool
Economic abuse can present in different ways and at different points in a victim-survivor’s journey. We have a range of tools to support practitioners to identify and respond to economic abuse in ways that fit their role, setting, and the needs of the people they support.
Our screening tools are designed to help practitioners recognise economic abuse directly:
- The short version offers a quick, accessible way to spot key indicators – particularly useful in time-limited or early contact settings.
- The long version supports a more detailed exploration of a victim-survivor’s experience, enabling a fuller understanding of the nature and impact of the abuse.
These tools are designed to work alongside each other. Where possible, using a screening tool alongside risk assessment processes will provide a more complete picture of a victim-survivor’s experience.
We encourage organisations to think critically about what will work best in your context, including:
- the nature of your service and client group
- the point at which you engage with victim-survivors
- the time and depth available for assessment
Selecting the right combination of tools will help ensure that economic abuse is consistently identified, understood, and responded to.
Risk assessment tool
Our guidance on integrating economic abuse into risk work supports practitioners to ensure economic abuse is not missed within existing risk assessment and management processes, including DASH and DARA.
For services where these tools are already in use these provide a practical way to embed economic abuse into established approaches.
Integrating economic abuse into Domestic Abuse Related Death Reviews (DARDRs) – e-learning
Our research, Hidden risks, fatal consequences: Economic abuse in Domestic Homicide Reviews, found that over half (51%) of DHRs featured evidence of economic abuse by a current or ex-partner. Of these reviews, fewer than half (47%) of DHR panels identified the economic abuse.
For reviews to make the future safer for victim-survivors experiencing economic abuse, it is vital that economic abuse is considered in DHRs/Domestic Abuse Related Death Reviews (DARDRs) and recommended learnings acted on.
Our Integrating economic abuse into Domestic Abuse Related Death Reviews e-learning is designed for review chairs, authors, panel members and professionals involved in DHRs, DARDRs and related reviews.
Learn how to recognise patterns of economic abuse, apply a survivor-centred, trauma-informed approach, and identify actionable learning to help prevent future harm.
The e-learning module provides deeper analysis, case studies and practical advice to support high-quality, victim-centred and trauma-informed reviews.
Contact us to find out more about our Integrating economic abuse into Domestic Abuse Related Death Reviews e-learning: [email protected]
Further training and guidance
We will continue to develop further resources, case studies and tips for best practice to help you embed the Local economic abuse advocacy model into your local areas.
Join our practitioners’ network to stay up to date with the latest information and guidance on economic abuse advocacy.
Join the practitioners’ networkTo discuss how SEA can support you to embed the model in your local area, please contact [email protected]
