Eight new firms have become signatories to UK Finance's refreshed Financial Abuse Code. This expansion means almost 90% of the UK’s mortgage market will now be covered, reinforcing the industry’s commitment to supporting customers experiencing domestic abuse, including economic abuse.
The announcement marks a significant milestone, bringing the total number of firms signing the Code to 33, covering 49 brands.
Economic abuse now impacts 4.2 million women in the UK, according to Surviving Economic Abuse. To support any customers affected by economic abuse, UK Finance launched the third iteration of its Financial Abuse Code in April 2025, fully aligning it with the FCA's Consumer Duty. The Code strengthens industry support for victim survivors and ensures greater consistency across firms.
Mortgage related economic abuse can involve one partner restricting access to payments, forcing borrowing in their name, or sabotaging a household’s ability to meet payment obligations.
The Code helps victim survivors by requiring signatories to identify such situations, offering practical interventions like restructuring or freezing accounts, and ensuring customers are treated with empathy and consistency.
The new signatories are Coventry Building Society, Cumberland Building Society, Fleet Mortgages, Ikano Bank, Monzo, Principality Building Society, Progressive Building Society, and Shawbrook (including The Mortgage Lender and Bluestone Mortgages).
All new signatories have committed to being fully compliant with the Code by 1st November 2026. By signing up, lenders commit to embedding practical measures across their operations to better support victim survivors. This includes:
• Raising awareness and encouraging disclosure so customers feel safe to come forward.
• Training colleagues to identify signs of abuse and respond empathetically.
• Reducing repetition by ensuring victims don’t have to retell their story multiple times within the same organisation.
• Helping customers regain control of their finances, for example by freezing or restructuring accounts.
• Providing clear signposting and referrals to specialist charities and support services.
• Embedding Consumer Duty principles to ensure good outcomes for vulnerable customers.
Eric Leenders, managing director of personal finance at UK Finance, said: “Financial abuse can happen to anyone. With more lenders joining the Code, coverage across the mortgage market has been strengthened significantly. By working with specialist charities and our members, we are helping victim-survivors to receive consistent and empathetic support whilst regaining independence and control of their money.”
Lucy Rigby, economic secretary to the Treasury, commented: "Economic abuse causes devastation in the lives of far too many. As City Minister, I am grateful to UK Finance for their work to develop and promote the Financial Abuse Code in recognition of the key role financial services firms have in supporting victim-survivors. I look forward to the further progress government and industry will make to tackle this issue together through the Financial Inclusion Strategy."
Sam Smethers, CEO of Surviving Economic Abuse, added: "For some years now, UK Finance has led the way in supporting the financial services sector to transform its response to economic abuse by establishing a comprehensive standard for firms through the Financial Abuse Code. The fact that another nine firms have signed up to the Code means that 90% of the mortgage market is now covered – a significant milestone. This is particularly important given that around 750,000 women in the UK have experienced a current or ex-partner economically abusing them through joint mortgages, plunging them into debt and ever closer to homelessness.
“At SEA, we are proud to have worked closely with UK Finance to support the development of the Code. We look forward to continuing our partnership in the months and years ahead as we tackle joint mortgage abuse, support credit restoration, and ensure survivors have access to the financial protections and support they need to rebuild their lives free from economic abuse.”
