The Intermediary – September 2026 - Flipbook - Page 47
RESIDENTIAL
Opinion
only – point of human interaction in
the customer journey.
Crucially, individuals may be more
likely to disclose sensitive issues to a
financial professional than even to
friends or family.
A third of those affected by
economic abuse do not share the
details, according to Aviva research.
However, when they do, 23% are
likely to tell someone who works in
financial services.
That places brokers in a unique
position to provide support, so
equipping them with the right tools
is essential.
Accord’s Growth Series recently
launched a guide to empower brokers
to spot signs of economic abuse and
take action to help their clients.
The guide, entitled ‘Economic
Abuse and Mortgages: what brokers
need to know and how to respond’
was produced in collaboration with
Surviving Economic Abuse. The piece
aims to help brokers to recognise
the signs, respond appropriately
and know where specialist support
is available.
No single organisation can
address economic abuse in isolation.
Progress will depend on coordinated
action across financial institutions,
intermediaries, regulators
and Government.
We are already seeing the impact
of collective action through industry
engagement and educational
initiatives. But there is still significant
ground to cover. Looking ahead,
the ambition must be to move
from reactive support to proactive
prevention.
That means embedding an
understanding of economic abuse into
product design, customer journeys
and risk frameworks, as well as
employee training.
Perhaps most importantly, the
sector must continue to listen to those
with lived experience, working with
them to improve outcomes.
Their insight is indispensable
in shaping solutions that are both
effective and empathic.
A defining moment
Economic abuse is no longer a hidden
issue. It is increasingly recognised as
a growing priority for the industry –
one that demands a deliberate,
informed response. The
opportunity now is
to ensure that
financial
systems
empower
individuals,
integrating
safeguards into their
systems and playing a
meaningful role in helping
people not only to escape
abuse, but to rebuild their
financial futures. ●
