The Government has launched a new consultation, “A Fairer End to Relationships”, setting out how it plans to reform financial remedy proceedings and introduce legal rights on separation for cohabiting couples.

As part of its proposals, the Government has also committed to delivering stronger protections and fairer outcomes for victim-survivors of domestic, including economic, abuse.

Reacting to the Government’s announcement, Sam Smethers, CEO of Surviving Economic Abuse, said:

“This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to improve protections for victim survivors of domestic abuse, whether they hold a marriage certificate or not. Too often, cohabiting survivors are left with no safe route to separate financially from an abusive partner, forced to abandon their home, savings or financial security just to escape.

“It is encouraging that the Government will also explore whether courts should give greater weight to domestic, including economic, abuse when resolving finances. Too many survivors are forced to navigate an outdated legal system that doesn’t consider the impact of these harms and is often weaponised by abusers to continue coercive control from afar.

“As reforms are developed, it is vital that the Government works closely with victim survivors – especially those most marginalised from the justice system – to ensure the new protections recognise the devastating impact of economic abuse and genuinely meet all survivors’ needs.”

Read our analysis of what the Government’s reforms could mean for economic abuse victim-survivors on our website here.

For further information or to arrange an interview with a SEA spokesperson, please contact the Surviving Economic Abuse press office on: [email protected] / 07786 073249.