Abuse, neglect and financial control: how to get help
Recognise abuse, neglect and financial control, protect immediate safety, listen to the person and contact the right local safeguarding service.
How this guide was prepared
Purpose: urgent guidance · Level: detailed
Checked by: Does Your Duck Quack. Sources are linked below; seek professional advice for individual circumstances.
The short answer
What to do first
Recognise abuse, neglect and financial control, protect immediate safety, listen to the person and contact the right local safeguarding service.
Start here: Possible signs include unexplained injuries, fear, isolation, missing money, unpaid bills, withheld food or medicines, or pressure to change a will. A sign alone does not prove abuse; listen to the person. If danger is immediate, call 999 and seek safety.
Do not wait: If someone is in immediate danger, call 999. If it is not an emergency, contact the local adult safeguarding service, social work service in Scotland or HSC Trust in Northern Ireland; contact police if a crime may have occurred.
Visual guides
See the decision at a glance
- Physical or emotionalNotice unexplained injuries, fear, isolation or a person seeming controlled or distressed.
- Financial controlNotice missing money, unpaid bills or pressure to change a will.
- Neglect and self-neglectNotice withheld food or medicines, unmet care needs or serious self-neglect.
- Listen firstA sign alone does not prove abuse; hear the person’s account without blame.
- 1. Protect immediate safetyCall 999 if someone is in immediate danger.
- 2. Speak privatelyIf safe, listen at the person’s pace and agree a safe way to stay in contact.
- 3. Record facts safelyNote dates, observations and the person’s words; store notes away from suspected access.
- 4. Raise a concernContact the local authority, Scottish social work service or Northern Ireland HSC Trust.
Scope of this guide
This guide helps you understand the options and questions to ask. It is not personal medical, legal or financial advice. Check the official sources for your nation and seek qualified help for high-stakes decisions.
Call 999 for a life-threatening emergency. For an urgent problem that is not clearly life-threatening, use the official NHS urgent-care route for the UK nation you are in. Have the address, symptoms, onset time, medicines and allergies ready.
Who this guide is for
Adults experiencing or worried about abuse, neglect or financial control, and people supporting them safely and respectfully.
Abuse can be physical, sexual, emotional, financial, discriminatory or organisational. Neglect and self-neglect can also put health and dignity at risk. Harm may come from a partner, relative, friend, paid worker or stranger. The person may care about the person causing harm, depend on them or fear what will happen if they speak. Respond without blame and keep their choices central wherever it is safe to do so.
What to do now
1. Recognise patterns and immediate risk
Possible signs include unexplained injuries, fear, isolation, missing money, unpaid bills, withheld food or medicines, or pressure to change a will. A sign alone does not prove abuse; listen to the person. If danger is immediate, call 999 and seek safety.
2. Speak privately and listen
If safe, speak privately and ask open questions. Respect the person’s pace and wishes. Explain that serious risk may require help. Do not confront a suspected abuser, promise secrecy, investigate yourself or leave messages that could increase danger.
3. Keep a safe factual record
Record the person’s words, dates and what you observed, separating fact from hearsay. Store notes where the suspected person cannot access them. Consider whether a shared phone, email or bank statement could reveal contact; preserve evidence only when safe.
4. Raise a safeguarding concern locally
Contact adult safeguarding at the local authority in England, Scotland or Wales, or the HSC Trust in Northern Ireland. Explain the risk and safe contact method. Ask what happens next. Report suspected crime to police; use 999 for immediate danger.
5. Use specialist routes for money or legal authority
For financial abuse, contact the bank safely and ask about protection. In England and Wales, report attorney or deputy concerns to the Office of the Public Guardian; other nations have different routes. A domestic-abuse or older-person support service can help plan confidential contact.
Warning signs and checks
- Immediate danger and injury assessed
- Suspected person not confronted if that could increase risk
- Person’s voice, wishes and consent preferences recorded
- Dates and observable evidence preserved safely
- Correct local authority, HSC trust or police contacted
- Bank or independent domestic-abuse support considered
- Case contact, follow-up and escalation plan recorded
- Check immediate safety and call 999 if someone is in immediate danger.
- Speak privately if safe and follow the person’s preferences.
- Record facts, dates and the person’s own words securely.
- Contact the correct local safeguarding body or police.
- Use a safe contact method that will not alert a suspected abuser.
- Raise concerns about an attorney or deputy through the relevant nation’s route.
- Arrange a follow-up and independent support.
Common questions
How do I report abuse or neglect of an older person?
Call 999 if danger is immediate. Otherwise contact adult safeguarding at the local authority or, in Northern Ireland, the HSC Trust. You can raise a concern even if unsure how it is classified. Explain observable facts and how to contact the person safely.
What counts as financial abuse by a family member?
Examples include taking money without permission, controlling a pension, using a bank card or pressuring someone to change a will. Agreed help is not automatically abuse. Seek advice if consent is unclear, money is missing or the person appears frightened.
Can I report a concern about a power-of-attorney holder?
In England and Wales, report concerns about a registered attorney or deputy to the Office of the Public Guardian. Scotland and Northern Ireland have different authorities and procedures. Keep evidence safe and describe specific actions; contact emergency services if risk is immediate.
What if the person does not want help?
If the person can make the decision, their wishes matter. Offer confidential support and ask how to stay in touch safely. Professionals may still need to assess serious risk or legal duties. Avoid calls or papers that a suspected abuser could discover.
Differences across the UK
The local route differs: adult social care in England, adult support and protection through councils in Scotland, local authorities in Wales, and HSC Trusts in Northern Ireland. Advocacy, domestic-abuse and police services are organised differently in each nation. The Office of the Public Guardian’s remit is not UK-wide: its concern service covers England and Wales, while Scotland and Northern Ireland have distinct arrangements. A local safeguarding team can explain the correct route.
If someone is in immediate danger, call 999. If it is not an emergency, contact the local adult safeguarding service, social work service in Scotland or HSC Trust in Northern Ireland; contact police if a crime may have occurred.
Primary sources
The publisher checked this guide against the 9 official sources below. This is an editorial source check, not approval by a clinician, lawyer or benefits adviser.
- GOV.UK: Report abuse of an older person
- GOV.UK: Domestic abuse statutory guidance
- GOV.UK: Safeguarding adults
- NHS England: Safeguarding adults
- Scottish Government: Adult support and protection
- GOV.UK: Report a concern about an attorney or deputy
- Social Care Institute for Excellence: Safeguarding adults
- Hourglass: Support for older people experiencing abuse
- GOV.UK: 999 and 112 emergency numbers
Related guides
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- Incident log for paid and unpaid care support
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- Doorstep scams and rogue traders: stay in control
- Bruising easily in older people: causes and when to worry
Editorial note: By Does Your Duck Quack.