Survivors of domestic abuse are being offered additional help in the form of “money skills” advice as part of a project backed by Comic Relief.

Citizens Advice in North and West Kent will be working with Choices, formerly known as North Kent Women’s Aid, to support victims of domestic abuse – both female and male – who have no confidence in managing their finances.

The £120,000 project, funded by Comic Relief, will be rolled out over the next three years and will also be extended to cover carers, the elderly, the recently bereaved and others who may have difficulty organising their money.

Training sessions on how to handle money, pay bills and avoid falling into debt will be on offer as well as one-to-one advice.

In the first part of the project, Citizens Advice and Choices are working together to offer money skills advice to men and women who have suffered domestic abuse.

Sylvia Murray, of Choices, said: “Financial abuse is a recognised form of abuse. The abuser may control all the household income to the point where the partner has very little or any experience of managing their own finances.

“The abuser makes all the decisions as to what the money is spent – or misspent – on. It could be they have to go to their partner to ask for money to buy even the smallest thing, like a pint of milk and have to account for every penny they spend.

“This can affect a person’s self-esteem and self-confidence. Once free of their controlling abuser and managing their own money, they can question the decisions they are making – can I buy this or that – and be very afraid of making a wrong decision.”

Ann Gibbons, of Citizens Advice, said the project would help people to avoid falling into debt. She said: “We will give debt advice to vulnerable clients and provide them with money skills training.”

Contact Gina Williamson from Choices on 01322 280686 or email gina.williamson@choicesdaservice.org.uk, and Helen Beckerson from Citizens Advice North and West Kent on 07779 324009 or email helen.beckerson@nwkent.cab.org.uk