Holyrood’s Social Justice and Social Security Committee has released a new report that outlines how people who leave an abusive relationship can be better protected from severe financial implications.

Some domestic abusers restrict a person’s ability to manage their finances. This can involve stopping a victim from opening a bank account, controlling how they use their income, preventing them from working or being in education, or building up debt in a victim’s name. This is known as economic abuse.

In its inquiry, the committee heard widespread evidence about the barriers faced by victims and survivors trying to access support. Challenges included generic information, a lack of trauma-informed financial advice and “England-centric” online information.

While the committee appreciated that the Scottish government provides funding for advice on income maximisation and its Equally Safe strategy to address violence against women and girls, the feedback it heard made it clear that support provided by advice services was vital.

Additionally, the committee called for more consistent support from local authorities, asking for the Scottish government to work with COSLA to develop a single point of contact. Without this, victims and survivors will continue to face significant challenges to accessing advice on problems relating to housing, benefits and legal advice.

The committee’s report also asks for an update on the Scottish government’s Fund to Leave pilot which several witnesses cited as a valuable resource when leaving an abusive relationship and before receiving a decision on eligibility for social security.

Collette Stevenson MSP, convener of the Social Justice and Social Security Committee, said: “The impact and cost of leaving an abusive relationship can be absolutely devastating and it is critical that victims and survivors can access advice and support quickly and easily.

“Our report calls for the Scottish government to strengthen and standardise the support that is available to people. We heard about some excellent work that exists, but it is inconsistent and not always easy to find, which has created barriers for people in horrendously stressful situations.

“We’d like to thank everyone who shared their views with us during this inquiry, particularly the members of Scottish Women’s Aid’s Survivor Reference Group and the staff at Financially Included who spoke so powerfully.”