Sharp rise in domestic abusers using finances for coercion, UK charities say

Refuge reports ‘staggering’ 78% annual increase in referrals for cases of technology-facilitated or economic abuse

Domestic abuse charities have reported a “staggering” increase in perpetrators using technology and finances to control their victims, with a “concerning” rise in people being coerced into car finance agreements.

Data from Refuge, the UK’s largest specialist domestic abuse charity, reveals a 78% rise in referrals for cases of technology-facilitated or economic abuse in the past year.

Between April 2025 and March 2026, there were 967 referrals to Refuge’s specialist unit – up from 542 the previous year. The number of referrals in which victims reported experiencing some form of economic abuse more than doubled, from 198 to 414.

Economic abuse can take many forms, including restricting access to money, or preventing a partner from accessing bank accounts. However, it can also involve victim-survivors being coerced or manipulated into taking out loans or credit and over the past two years Refuge’s economic abuse specialists have witnessed a significant rise in cases involving car finance.

“My ex-partner was controlling in many ways, but economic abuse was a big part of this,” said Zara*, a woman supported by the charity.

When they were still together, her ex-partner coerced her into taking out a car finance agreement in her name, even though he was using the vehicle. After separating from him, she returned it to the car company.

“It was then that I was informed I was liable to pay an early termination fee of around £11,000,” she said. “I couldn’t afford this, so I missed a number of these payments, which then impacted my credit score.

“I had to take on extra shifts at work to try to repay the car debt, as well as other debts which my ex had coerced me into.”

Another woman, Nicole*, said: “My ex-partner was incredibly controlling during our two-year relationship, but I realised I was experiencing economic abuse when he took my car and registered it in his name without my consent.

“The police told me this was a civil issue and that I had to contact my vehicle finance provider for support. He also had subscription payments for a bike, which he coerced me into funding.”

A third woman, Sara*, said she had told sales staff she was reluctant to sign for the lease on a car, and they had even seen her arguing with her partner in the dealership, but that they still allowed the agreement to be taken out in her name.

“Alongside emotional abuse, my partner significantly controlled my finances, leaving me dependent and scared to challenge his behaviour,” she said. “A number of debts had been taken out in my name throughout the relationship, but one of the biggest was when he completed the finance arrangements for a luxury car worth over £100k.

“I felt unable to refuse because of my partner’s coercive nature,” she added. “It left me with a huge financial commitment that I didn’t want or feel able to say no to.”

Refuge works to help survivors of economic abuse, for example by writing support letters to encourage lenders to write off coerced debts.

However, the charity is also urging the government to establish a working group of specialist support services, car finance providers and credit reference agencies to address the escalating problem.

Francesca Ferrier, the senior economic empowerment partnerships manager at Refuge, said: “Many car finance providers and credit reference agencies lack the skills and resources to identify the signs of economic abuse, leaving survivors facing significant obstacles to resolving debt and rebuilding their financial independence.

“Lasting change requires government action,” she said. “The government must bring together car finance providers, credit reference agencies and specialist economic abuse services to better understand the risks survivors face and develop a coordinated, robust response that ensures survivors receive the support and protection they deserve.”

Separate research, from the charity Surviving Economic Abuse (SEA), has found that more than 1 million young women across the UK are experiencing economic abuse.

The research, conducted by Ipsos UK on behalf of SEA, found that in the past year 36% of girls and young women between the ages of 16 and 24 had experienced economic abuse from a current or former partner, equivalent to an estimated 1.3 million young women across the UK.

The charity found the issue was affecting teenagers, with almost one in three of all girls between 16 and 18 having experienced economic abuse in the previous 12 months, and nearly one in five saying it began within the first month of the relationship – more than double the rate of women between 22 and 24.

One survivor, Gabby*, was in a relationship during her teens and early 20s. She shared a joint bank account and property with her partner, and was left covering the mortgage, bills and debts while he repeatedly stole her money and refused to contribute financially.

“I had no understanding at the time of what economic abuse was,” she said. “I thought sharing finances and paying for everything was simply part of being in a relationship, especially when you’re young and trying to build a life together.

“My parents thought I was paying for everything because they had brought me up to be kind and supportive. None of us recognised that I was being controlled.”

Sam Smethers, SEA’s chief executive, said. “Our research shows that millions of teenage women and girls are being controlled, isolated and manipulated by abusive partners, often from the earliest days in a relationship.

“Worryingly, half report adverse impacts on their mental health. Parents, teachers and education professionals need to recognise the warning signs early.”