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avoid a charge domestic abuse Previously had to pay to ensure that their abuser could not track them address on government register is being finished.
Survivors seeking a Debt Relief Order (DRO) – a way to have debts written off if you can’t pay your outstanding – have had to risk having their details published on the public personal insolvency register.
The only way to avoid this is to impose a (Parva) order for persons at risk of violence, however, this costs over £300 and requires a wait of up to 20 weeks for it to be approved.
Due to this many people got into debt – Often due to domestic abuse – Either choose to remain in a deteriorating financial situation, or take the risk that their abusers may find their address.
Independent Survivors of this situation have been spoken to before, leaving them “scared” and “terrified” as their details remain accessible to their abuser.
However, ministers confirmed plans to scrap the charge on Monday.
The move means that from November, vulnerable people involved in debt proceedings will not have to pay fees to remove their personal details from the insolvency register and official public records, the Gazette said.
Minister for Courts and Legal Services, Sarah Sackman Casey, said: “For despicable perpetrators of domestic violence, free access to a victim’s location is a golden ticket to continue their campaign of hatred and abuse.
“The Independent Has stood by these victims for years. “We want these women and others to know that this government has listened and taken action.”
The abolition of the fee is part of the government’s plan to halve violence against women and girls (VAWG) over a decade.
Leading domestic abuse charity Refuge said the fee meant survivors would be at “serious risk of harm and further abuse” if they could not pay it.
Adam Rolfe, policy and public affairs officer at Money Wellness, said scrapping the fee would “remove a huge financial hurdle for people already facing unimaginable hardship”.
“This means survivors can focus on rebuilding their finances and moving forward without fear that seeking loan assistance could put them at risk,” he said.
“We now look forward to building on this progress to ensure that the whole insolvency system really helps people recover from an abusive relationship safely and with dignity.”
This change will help women like Sierra* Independent Talk took place in May. He spent thousands of pounds trying to escape abusive relationship In 2019.
She had to move with her children four times in three months to escape, and did so when she suspected he had planted a tracker in her car. spend thousands To buy another one. The legal costs of obtaining an injunction against her abuser and making provision for her children pushed her into debt of £40,000.
After finding a solution, she was told she qualified for a DRO, but the initial feeling of relief soon faded when she was told the order would put her personal details, including her address, on a public register.
She could not wait for the court to approve the gala order, as the interest rates would mean she would exceed the £50,000 threshold to qualify for debt relief, so she decided to proceed with the order without the gala.
This was later approved – and as she was on Universal Credit, her fees were waived – but by that time, her address had been public for several weeks, during which she said she was “scared” and “nervous”.
Francesca Ferrier, Senior Economic Empowerment Partnership Manager at Refuge, said: “This is a long-awaited and positive step towards better protecting survivors of domestic and economic abuse who are seeking insolvency resolution.
“Collecting debts in a survivor’s name is a common tactic used by perpetrators of domestic abuse. In fact, more than half of people who experienced economic abuse reported having or being in debt because of the abuse, according to a report by No Economic Abuse.”
Keys to the first of two safe havens built by The Independent’s Brick to Brick Campaign for women who run away there was domestic abuse Handed over earlier this year. creation of the first purpose built safe house The completion follows a hugely successful campaign launched in partnership with Refuge, which was supported by readers, politicians, royals and celebrities.
The National Domestic Abuse Helpline provides support for women on 0808 2000 247, or you can visit asylum Website. one is dedicated men’s advice line On 0808 8010 327. People living in the US can call the domestic violence hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). Other international helplines can be found through www.befrienders.org,
*Name has been changed to protect the woman’s identity