Almost one million UK women who experienced economic abuse said the abuse prevented them from leaving an abusive partner

A new survey from Surviving Economic Abuse and Ipsos UK finds that nearly a quarter (23%) of UK women aged 18+ who experienced economic abuse said the abuse prevented them from leaving an abusive partner. This is equivalent to around 940,000 women¹.

Key findings 

• One in seven (15%) women experienced economic abuse from a current or former partner in the last 12 months, equivalent to 4.1 million women aged 18+². 
• Almost 1 in 3 ethnic minority women (29%) experienced economic abuse from a partner or ex-partner in the last 12 months, equivalent to 1.1 million women³.  
• Almost 1 in 4 disabled women (23%) experienced economic abuse from a partner or ex- partner in the last 12 months – this means women with a disability or long-term health condition were almost twice as likely than women who did not to have experienced economic abuse in the last 12 months.
• Among the 15% of all UK women aged 18+ who experienced economic abuse, 
  - Over a third (36%) said the abuse led to mental ill health, including depression, panic attacks, or suicidal thoughts, equivalent to 1.5 million women aged 18+⁴.  
  - One in five (19%) had to borrow money to cover the cost of essential items or bills⁵.
  - One in ten (11%) ended up homeless, equivalent to 772,000 women and 470,000 women respectively⁶.
• 1 in 9 women (11%) experienced at least one economically exploitative behaviour from a partner or ex-partner in the last 12 months, equivalent to 2.9 million women⁷.   
• 1 in 10 women (10%) experienced economic sabotage from a partner or ex-partner in the last 12 months, equivalent to 2.8 million women⁸.   
• 1 in 11 women (9%) experienced at least one economically restrictive behaviour from a partner or ex-partner in the last 12 months, equivalent to 2.4 million women⁹. 
• Over a quarter (27%) of women who experienced economic abuse also had a partner or ex-partner threaten to hurt or kill them.
• Over two in five (42%) of women who experienced economic abuse did not seek any help, information, or advice. Among those who did not seek support, almost one in five (18%) said that this was because they didn’t think anything could help.

See SEA website for explanations of economic restriction, exploitation and sabotage.

For more information on this research, contact Dr Caroline Paskell, Ipsos Public Affairs and read SEA’s report on the survey: Measuring Economic Abuse published on International Economic Abuse Awareness Day, 26 November 2024.

Technical note:

The online survey was developed by Surviving Economic Abuse and Ipsos UK. A nationally representative sample of women aged 18+ was surveyed by Ipsos on behalf of Surviving Economic Abuse and were asked about their experiences of economic abuse from a current or former partner in the past 12 months. 

A total of 2,849 women aged 18 and over responded to the survey between Friday 25th October and Friday 1st November 2024. The sample obtained is representative of this audience with quotas on age, region and working status. The data has been weighted to the known offline population proportions of this audience for age, government office region, social grade, education, working status and ethnicity.

Extrapolations: As a part of this research Ipsos and SEA have conducted extrapolations to understand the possible number of women who are affected by economic abuse.  These extrapolations have been conducted using the total population figure for Women aged 18+ in the United Kingdom as 26.89 million. Source: ONS Annual Population Survey for 2024 (July 2023- June 2024): Demographics for women aged 18 or over by ethnicity, UK, July 2023 to June 2024 - Office for National Statistics
Visit SEA’s website to find out more about their work and access information for victim-survivors, their friends and family and professionals: survivingeconomicabuse.org 

This work was supported by the VISION consortium, which is funded by the UK Prevention Research Partnership, an initiative funded by UK Research and Innovation Councils, the Department of Health and Social Care (England) and the UK devolved administrations, and leading health research charities.

Footnotes: 

1. Of the 15% of UK women 18+ who have experienced behaviour(s) considered to be economic abuse, 23%, equivalent to 942,000, say the abuse prevented them from leaving the relationship; we can be 95% confident that the correct figure is +/- 3.6%, so is 19.4% - 26.6%, between an estimated 908,000 and 976,000.
2.  The survey finding is 15%, an estimated 4.13 million women aged 18+ in the UK; we can be 95% confident that the correct figure is +/-1.3% which is 13.7% - 16.3% (between an estimated 4.07 million and 4.18 million).
3. The survey finding is 29%, an estimated 1.12 million women aged 18+ in the UK; we can be 95% confident that the correct figure is +/- 3.3%, which is 25.7% - 32.3% (between an estimated 1.08 million and 1.16 million). The total population figure for ethnic minority women aged 18+ in the UK is 3.87 million. Source: ONS Annual Population Survey for 2024 (July 2023- June 2024).
4. Of the 15% of UK women 18+ who have experienced behaviour(s) considered to be economic abuse, 36%, equivalent to 1.49 million, say they suffered mental ill health as a result of the abuse; we can be 95% confident that the correct figure is +/- 4.1%, which is 31.9% - 40.1%, an estimate of between 1.43 million and 1.55 million.
5. Of the 15% of UK women 18+ who have experienced behaviour(s) considered to be economic abuse, 19% equivalent to 772,000, say they had to borrow money to cover the cost of essential items or bills as a result of the abuse; we can be 95% confident that the correct figure is +/-3.3% which is 15.7% - 22.3% (an estimate of between 797,000 and 747,000).
6. Of the 15% of UK women 18+ who have experienced behaviour(s) considered to be economic abuse, 11% equivalent to 470,000, say they became homeless as a result of the abuse; we can be 95% confident that the correct figure is +/-2.7% which is 8.3% - 13.7% (between an estimated 475,000 and 483,000).
7. The survey finding is 11%, an estimated 2.90 million women aged 18+ in the UK; we can be 95% confident that the correct figure is +/- 1.1%, which is 9.9% - 12.1% (between an estimated 2.87 million and 2.93 million).
8. The survey finding is 10%, an estimated 2.81 million women aged 18+ in the UK; we can be 95% confident that the correct figure is +/- 1.1%, which is 8.9% - 11.1% (between an estimated 2.77 million and 2.84 million).
9. The survey finding is 9%, an estimated 2.40 million women aged 18+ in the UK; we can be 95% confident that the correct figure is +/- 1.1%, which is 7.9% - 10.1% (between an estimated 2.37 million and 2.42 million).