Government austerity policies have “trapped” women in financially abusive relationships leaving them without money for food, emergencies or their children, trade unionists warned yesterday.

A joint report from the TUC and charity Women’s Aid predicts that the roll-out of universal credit could aggravate the situation as all family income would go to the head of the household.

Women’s Aid chief executive Polly Neat said: “Many women find it impossible to leave because they don’t have the money to escape, while others spend years trying to pay off debts, clear their credit scores after taking out loans and credit cards for their partner in their name and rebuild their lives.”