AXA UK has launched a domestic abuse support fund to provide colleagues experiencing abuse with financial help to leave unsafe situations.
The fund is designed to cover urgent needs such as safe accommodation, transport and food and sits alongside AXA UK's existing package of domestic abuse support for employees, which includes specialist in-house contacts and paid leave.
Colleagues, or their line managers on their behalf, can request support confidentially by contacting AXA UK’s “trusted contacts”, a dedicated in-house team set up to support victims of domestic abuse.
The HR team, working with the trusted contacts, will review requests discreetly and arrange payment directly through payroll. Where additional information is needed People Services will contact colleagues directly to protect privacy.
The fund provides a one-off payment, fully funded by AXA UK, to help survivors meet immediate expenses linked to leaving or managing an abusive situation.
Domestic abuse remains a significant issue across the UK, with millions of adults experiencing some form of abuse over a 12‑month period and women disproportionately affected, according to official statistics. Against that backdrop, campaigners and charities have increasingly argued that employers should treat domestic abuse as a workplace concern, given its impact on attendance, performance, mental health and financial stability.
AXA UK has said it is committed to raising awareness and improving access to help for both colleagues and customers. Under its domestic abuse policy, colleagues can take five days’ paid leave for appointments or arrangements related to domestic abuse, alongside access to internal guidance and support.
The insurer has also launched “AXA Safe Spaces,” a training programme that aims to teach colleagues how to recognise, respond to and refer victims of domestic and sexual violence. The training uses a “recognise, respond, refer” framework and is available free to other employers and individuals, reflecting an intention to share resources beyond AXA’s own workforce.
In the customer space, AXA UK is working with charities including Women’s Aid and Smart Works so that policyholders experiencing domestic abuse can access specialist support services, such as safety planning and practical assistance to leave abusive situations.
Earlier this year, the insurer launched a nationwide “what they say, what we hear” advertising campaign, aimed at helping the public recognise the often coded language of financial abuse and signposting them to support. AXA UK also works with We Thrive, an organisation that helps survivors of domestic abuse return to employment.
AXA UK's new fund highlighted how employer responses to domestic abuse are becoming more structured and financial in nature, moving beyond signposting and flexible working to include direct monetary assistance and formalised policies. That trend has potential implications for group risk and health benefit design, HR policies and insurer-charity partnerships across the sector.
The initiative also aligns with broader expectations from regulators and investors that financial institutions demonstrate a robust approach to customer vulnerability and staff wellbeing. As domestic abuse statistics remain high and economic pressures can exacerbate financial control and coercive behaviour, insurers are likely to face closer scrutiny of how they respond – both in their employment practices and in how they design and handle products for customers affected by abuse.
“We believe that everyone deserves to feel safe and supported, both inside and outside the workplace. The new domestic abuse support fund is another meaningful step in providing tangible help to colleagues facing difficult circumstances. Our goal is to shape a culture focused on care, where survivors feel empowered to ask for help without any fear or judgement. Together, we can build a workplace where everyone feels truly valued and protected,” said Amanda Vaughan, chief people officer, AXA UK & Ireland.
