- The fund has been launched to provide financial assistance to colleagues experiencing domestic abuse
- The fund provides a one-time payment, fully funded by AXA UK, to help survivors with urgent expenses
- The initiative is part of AXA UK’s wider focus on supporting customers and colleagues who are survivors of domestic abuse
AXA UK has launched a domestic abuse support fund to provide colleagues who are experiencing domestic abuse with financial assistance to help them get out of an abusive situation.
The fund aims to help with urgent needs, such as securing safe accommodation, transport and food costs, and is a further enhancement to AXA UK’s existing package of domestic abuse support for colleagues.
Colleagues or their line managers can confidentially request support by contacting AXA UK’s ‘trusted contacts’, a dedicated inhouse team created to support victims of domestic abuse. The HR team, working alongside the trusted contacts, will review requests discreetly and arrange for payment directly through payroll. If additional information is needed, such as alternative bank details, People Services will contact the colleagues directly to ensure privacy and support.
Domestic abuse remains a critical issue across the UK, with recent figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealing that approximately 3.8 million individuals in England and Wales experienced some form of abuse in 2025.
AXA UK is committed to raising awareness and improving access to vital support for both colleagues and customers. Colleagues can take five days’ paid leave for appointments or arrangements related to domestic abuse and access a dedicated inhouse trained team.
The insurer has also launched ‘AXA Safe Spaces’, a training programme designed to teach colleagues how to recognise, respond to and refer victims of domestic and sexual violence. This initiative is public and available for other companies to use.
Additionally, AXA UK is working with Women’s Aid and Smart Works to help customers who are experiencing domestic abuse access vital support services from both charities. In January, the insurer launched its nationwide ‘what they say, what we hear’ advertising campaign to help more people understand the hidden language of financial abuse and to know that support is available. We also work with We Thrive, an organisation that provides assistance to survivors of domestic abuse to get back into employment.
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.
