Political Opinion: Emily Darlington MP calls for government to scrap £308 fee for abuse survivors at Westminster roundtable
Emily Darlington, MP for Milton Keynes Central, this week hosted and chaired a cross-departmental roundtable in Parliament calling for urgent changes to the £308 fee survivors of economic and domestic abuse face to protect their identity when seeking a debt solution.
The event, organised by Money Wellness, brought together MPs, Government Department Officials and supporting organisations to call for action on the Persons At Risk of Violence (PARV) order process – the only safe and anonymous way for survivors to access a debt solution, like the Debt Relief Order (DRO), without revealing their location or contact details.
Even when survivors are eligible for a DRO and have no money of their own, with many facing more outgoings than income each month, they are still required to pay a £308 fee to access a PARV order. This is a cost that many survivors simply cannot afford.
The government is currently reviewing the PARV order fee and the wider personal insolvency framework, including whether the public Individual Insolvency Register should be made private. But Emily Darlington, along with others in attendance, has warned that urgent action is needed to protect survivors who are being forced to delay seeking help or risk being found by their abuser.
Real-life stories shared at the event highlighted why change is needed for all attendees. Recently, Money Wellness and Surviving Economic Abuse supported a woman who had fled an abusive relationship and was living in a refuge. Her ex-partner had taken out debts in her name. Even though she qualified for a DRO, she couldn’t afford the £308 PARV order fee to protect her anonymity, leaving her trapped in debt she did not create.
Commenting, Emily Darlington MP said: “Abuse survivors should never be forced to pay for their safety, yet alone choose between paying for their safety or remain in debt. The £308 fee is a barrier that puts them at further risk. We stand with others in calling for urgent reform.”