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Refuge has reported a significant increase in referrals involving technology-facilitated and economic abuse, with frontline specialists warning of a growing number of perpetrators using car finance agreements as a means of coercive control.
New data published by the domestic abuse charity shows referrals to its specialist Technology-Facilitated Abuse and Economic Empowerment team increased by 78% between April 2025 and March 2026. The service received 967 referrals during the period, compared with 542 in the previous year.
Economic abuse featured in 43% of referrals during 2025–26, with 414 survivors reporting this form of abuse, compared with 198 survivors, or 37% of referrals, in 2024–25.
Refuge said its specialists have identified an increasing pattern of perpetrators exploiting vehicle finance agreements to exert control over survivors. Reported cases include individuals being coerced into entering expensive finance agreements, vehicles being registered in a survivor's name without their knowledge or consent, and survivors being left liable for substantial debts after relationships ended.
The charity warned that coerced car finance debt can have long-term consequences for survivors, including damage to their credit records that may affect their ability to secure housing, obtain mobile phone contracts or access mortgage lending, creating further barriers to leaving abusive relationships and rebuilding independent lives.
Case studies published by Refuge describe survivors being pressured into signing finance agreements for vehicles intended for a partner's use, incurring significant early termination charges after leaving abusive relationships, and requiring specialist advocacy to have debts written off or disputed with finance providers.
Francesca Ferrier, Senior Economic Empowerment Partnerships Manager at Refuge, said many survivors continue to encounter financial systems that are not designed to recognise or respond to economic abuse. She argued that many vehicle finance providers and credit reference agencies lack the knowledge and processes needed to identify coercive financial control, leaving survivors struggling to resolve debts and restore their financial independence.
Refuge is calling on the government to develop a cross-sector response involving vehicle finance providers, credit reference agencies and specialist economic abuse organisations. The charity said closer collaboration is needed to improve recognition of economic abuse, support survivors in addressing coerced debt and strengthen protections against this form of domestic abuse.
