What is abuse?

Abuse is when someone causes us harm or distress. It may be a single or repeated act or it could be a failure to take appropriate action.

There are five common types of abuse:

  • financial – for example, someone taking your money or valuables without your permission, or pressurising you to change your will or to spend your money in a way you don’t want to
  • physical – including hitting or slapping you, not giving you the right medication, restraining you in an inappropriate way, making a room too hot or cold
  • psychological – this could involve someone calling you names, threatening you, humiliating, blaming or controlling you
  • sexual – touching or looking at you inappropriately, assaulting you or making you undress or look at sexual images
  • neglect – when a carer fails to meet your basic needs so you are hungry, in pain or cold.

People responsible for abuse are often taking advantage of a special relationship. It could be a friend or family member or a paid carer. Sometimes abuse happens because the person doesn’t have the right skills for looking after you. Whatever the situation, it is never acceptable. You don’t have to put up with it and it isn’t your fault.

Who is at risk?

Anyone can be at risk of abuse. It is no reflection on your intelligence, strength or worth.  It can happen anywhere – at home, in a hospital or care home, or a public place.

Some people may be more vulnerable, for example if you:

  • are isolated and have little contact with family or friends
  • have memory problems or difficulty communicating
  • don’t get on with your carer
  • misuse drugs or alcohol or have a carer who misuses them.

Sometimes the person at risk may be a carer.

How to get help

If you are experiencing any form of abuse, it's important to speak out to stop it. This may feel difficult but it's the best way to start getting help and support. You could start by talking to your family or friends you trust or speak to your GP, social worker or local social services.

Many councils have a dedicated team for reporting concerns about abuse or neglect. This might be called a safeguarding team. You can also contact your local council’s adult social care team.

For confidential advice on reporting abuse, contact the Action on Elder Abuse helpline 0808 808 8141. You can also call our Helpline and arrange to speak to an adviser.

If you’ve experienced domestic violence, you can get support from the National Domestic Violence Freephone Helpline or the Men’s Advice Line.

If you think a crime has been committed, you can report it to your local police by calling 101.

If you have been physically hurt or in an emergency, call 999 for the police or an ambulance.

What happens next?

If you report abuse to your adult social care team, a social worker will investigate and then discuss ways to resolve the situation. What happens next depends on:

  • whether you're in danger
  • how much support you need
  • what you want to happen.

If you are still at risk of abuse they will start a safeguarding enquiry, which could be a conversation or a more formal course of action involving other agencies.

Your wishes should be taken into account at all stages. If you need help to express your views, you may be able to get support from an independent advocate. In certain situations, you're legally entitled to an advocate.

If the enquiry decides that it's necessary, the adult social care team should put a plan of action in place, stating:

  • how you will be kept safe in future
  • any support, treatment or help you will be given
  • any changes needed to the care you receive
  • any action to be taken against the abuser
  • how you will be supported if you take action to seek justice

If a crime has been committed or in more serious cases, the police may be involved.

How to protect yourself

If you’re worried about abuse, there are things you can do to reduce the risk.

  • Stay in touch with your friends and neighbours if you can. The more people you’re in contact with, the better. 
  • Go for regular check-ups. You can talk to your GP if you have any concerns and your GP or dentist should be able to spot the signs if you’re being abused or neglected. 
  • If you’re finding it difficult to manage in your daily life, ask your council for a free care needs assessment. 
  • If you’re caring for someone else and you’re not getting any practical or emotional support, you may both be at risk of harm. Contact carers’ support groups and advice services for help. Our guide Caring for someone has more information about the support available.
  • If there’s a problem with your care services, tell the agency, or the council if they arranged the care. Our factsheet Getting care services at home has more information.

If you’re employing a care worker yourself, ask them for references from previous employers and make sure they’ve had a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. This checks to see if they have a criminal record or if there were any other concerns in the past. You can find useful resources to help you employ a care worker on the Skills for Care website.

You may be relying on someone else to do shopping for you or to collect your benefits for example. Ask more than one person to support you if possible, for added protection.  You could also talk to your bank for advice on managing your money.

  • Don’t give anyone your PIN or passwords.
  • If someone is helping you with your shopping, ask for receipts.
  • Keep records and check your statements.
  • Set up direct debits for your bills.
  • Be aware of common scams.

If someone is putting pressure on you to change your will, seek legal advice. You might be able to get free initial legal advice through a Law Works legal advice clinic. You can find a solicitor through the Law Society.

Planning ahead

It’s important to know that someone you trust will make decisions on your behalf if there comes a time when you are unable to do so.

You could set up a lasting power of attorney (LPA), which is a legal document that gives someone you trust the right to make decisions about your money and property and/or your health and welfare. You must be able to trust your attorney completely. Don’t set up an LPA if you feel under pressure to do so.

You can also set up an advance decision, which is a way to refuse certain types of treatment or care if there comes a time when you lose mental capacity. It is legally binding and must be followed by the healthcare professionals who are looking after you, unless your circumstances change and the advance decision no longer applies.

If you lose mental capacity and there is no LPA in place, the Court of Protection can appoint a deputy. Deputies are usually relatives or friends but may also be someone like a solicitor or even the local council. Applying to be a deputy is more expensive than setting up an LPA but may offer more protection.

Next steps

You will find contact details for your local council on gov.uk/find-your-local-council.

For confidential advice on reporting abuse, contact Action on Elder Abuse.

Related publications

Share this article

Print this page

Print this page