Financial abuse

If someone is controlling your money, you may be experiencing financial or economic abuse

What is financial or economic abuse?

Financial and economic abuse can happen to anyone within a range of different relationships, whether by partners, family members, or carers. It involves someone else using or misusing money which limits your decisions and actions, now and in the future.

It’s often experienced as financial and economic control that results in you becoming trapped within the relationship because someone else controls your money.

One in six adults in the UK has experienced economic abuse by a current or former partner.
(Refuge, 2020 Know Economic Abuse)

What are the signs of financial abuse?

Financial abuse is when someone else is in control of your money, finances, and things that money can buy, such as clothing, transport, food, and a place to live.

The signs of financial abuse can include someone:

  • not giving you access to your money or making you hand over control of your accounts
  • taking out money or getting credit in your name without your knowledge or permission
  • cashing in your pensions or other cheques without your permission
  • adding their name to your account
  • restricting your access to statements
  • offering to buy shopping or pay bills for you, but then the shopping or bills are not paid
  • preventing you access to your credit card
  • preventing you from removing your name from a joint account you can’t access
  • stopping you from seeing other friends and family
  • stopping you from working or going to work
  • making you account for every single thing you spend
  • stopping you from speaking to your financial services provider

If anything like this is happening or has happened to you, you may be a victim of financial or economic abuse or fraud and should contact us immediately.

UK Finance guidance

For more information on help you can get, read UK Finance’s guide.

Help is available  

If you’re worried about your situation, or you know someone who may need help, contact us as soon as you can.

You can call us or reach out to us using the app or Online Banking and one of our team will get in contact with you directly. To do this, log in and go to Help > Personal circumstances > Share your personal situation.

If you'd prefer not to speak to us directly, there are other organisations that may be able to help you. Read this list of organisations that can support.

How to protect yourself

Cards, PINs and passwords

If you’re worried that someone else is using your card details or PIN, please contact us so we can help you.

Cards

You can put a temporary block on your card using the app and Online Banking.

Or you can call us and a request a new card. We’ll cancel your card immediately at your request. Replacement cards take 3-5 working days to arrive.

PIN

You can change your PIN at an ATM cash machine.

Changing your password or memorable questions

If you’re worried that someone is misusing your account, you may want to change your login details for the app and Online Banking. You can do this using the app under Settings > Password & Security and in Online Banking under Settings > Security Settings.

Third party access to your account

If you’re concerned about the third party access that someone has to your money or the financial decisions they make on your behalf, you can remove their access. Or you could give third party access to someone else that you trust. Learn more about third party access.

Credit report

If you have shared finances with somebody and that relationship ends, they might still show up on your credit report. If you don't want this to happen, you can apply for a notice of disassociation from the credit reference agencies, like Experian, TransUnion and Equifax.

A notice of disassociation can be requested from the credit reference agencies. You could ask for one when a financial association ends. For example, a loan with an ex-partner. Applying for a notice of disassociation means that you’re requesting that you and the joint party are no longer connected financially. 

You can also register with Cifas, who can then alert you if any credit applications are made in your name.

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APS provides credit facilities subject to approval and affordability, and where accounts continue to meet APS credit criteria.

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