FGS no it’s not even close to textbook financial abuse you’ve done a list of things that are merely unfair. Unfair isn’t a crime.
Financial abuse covers a wide variety of activities, from mishandling finances to fraud, but may broadly be described as a violation of an individual's rights relating to their financial affairs or assets.
Section 42(3) of the Care Act 2014 in England and section 197(1) of the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 in Wales define ‘abuse’ as including financial abuse, which covers:
having money or other property stolen
being defrauded
being put under pressure in relation to money or other property; and
having money or other property misused
The English Care and Support Statutory Guidance, which supports the Care Act 2014, cites examples of financial or material abuse as:
“theft, fraud, internet scamming, coercion in relation to an adult’s financial affairs or arrangements, including in connection with wills, property, inheritance or financial transactions, or the misuse or misappropriation of property, possessions or benefits.”
Chapter 14 of the Care and Support Statutory Guidance to the Care Act 2014 is the English guidance to local authorities on safeguarding.
In Wales, the statutory guidance in relation to Part 7 (Safeguarding) of the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 is contained in volumes 1-6 of Working Together to Safeguard People.
For cross-border cases, it should be noted that the Scottish legislative regime is different.
Forms of financial abuse
Financial abuse includes but is not limited to:
theft – either physically, or through transfer of funds from the vulnerable person
misappropriation or misuse of money or property – for example, improper use of money or assets when handling it for a vulnerable person under informal arrangements
exerting undue influence to give away assets or gifts – this can include putting inappropriate pressure on a vulnerable person to change their will, or make gifts they otherwise would not, or to sign over the family home to one relative when the vulnerable person is about to go into residential care
putting undue pressure on the vulnerable person to accept lower-cost/lower-quality services in order to preserve more financial resources to be passed to beneficiaries when the person dies
carrying out unnecessary work and/or overcharging – for example, tradespeople recommending unnecessary repairs to property, pressure-selling of services, overcharging for work or charging in advance
misuse of a vulnerable person’s assets by professionals – for example, by accountants or legal professionals with access to client funds
misuse of an enduring power of attorney or property and financial affairs LPA – use other than as intended or further than as limited by the document
misuse of welfare benefits by those appointed to manage such benefits on behalf of someone lacking capacity
misuse by paid carers or family members of local authority direct payments, which should be used to pay for care and support
sales representatives encouraging vulnerable people to enter into contracts or
change suppliers (for example for mobile phone services) when they do not understand their contractual responsibilities
internet and postal scams that fraudulently obtain payments from a vulnerable person
identity fraud, where the perpetrator gains access to the vulnerable person’s identification documents and takes out credit cards and loans in their name
romance abuse and predatory marriages, where the vulnerable person is ‘groomed’ to have a relationship with the perpetrator who intends to scam the victim out of money, or marry them with the intention of inheriting their estate
Controlling or coercive behaviour, sometimes taking place alongside physical abuse, can take the form of:
depriving the person of their basic needs
limiting access to finances
denying access to support services, such as specialist support or medical services
forcing the victim to take part in criminal activity such as shoplifting
controlling finances, such as only allowing a person a punitive allowance
taking wages, benefits or allowances
See Statutory Guidance Framework: Controlling or Coercive Behaviour in an Intimate or Family Relationship, published by the Home Office pursuant to section 77(1) of the Serious Crime Act 2015.