Domestic abuse does not stay at home. It follows people to work, in the form of missed deadlines, sudden absences, controlling phone calls, and sometimes real danger on the premises. Government research estimates that around 3.8 million adults aged 16 and over experience domestic abuse in England and Wales each year, so the odds are that someone on your team is affected right now. The good news is that you do not need to be a specialist to help. This guide walks UK employers through how to support employees experiencing domestic abuse in a way that is practical, safe, and legally sound.

Is domestic abuse really a workplace issue?

Yes, and legally it is one you cannot ignore. Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, employers have a duty of care to protect the health, safety, and welfare of their staff, and that extends to the effects of abuse. It is also simply a people and performance issue. Here is how it tends to show up at work:

• Attendance and timekeeping slip, with frequent last-minute absences or lateness.
• Performance drops from someone who was previously reliable.
• A partner monitors the employee through constant calls, texts, or unannounced visits.
• In the most serious cases, an abuser targets the person at work, because it is the one place they can predict where they will be.

How can you tell if an employee might be affected?

You look for a change in patterns, not proof. Your job is not to diagnose or investigate, only to notice when something feels off and open a door. Common signs worth paying attention to include:

• Becoming withdrawn, anxious, or unusually jumpy around their phone.
• Wearing clothing that covers injuries, or explaining injuries away too quickly.
• Never being able to socialise, stay late, or travel without checking in first.
• Signs of financial control, such as no access to their own wages or bank card.

By the way, none of these confirm abuse on their own. Treat them as a prompt to check in gently and privately, not as evidence to act on.

What should you do when someone discloses?

Listen, believe them, and resist the urge to fix it. A disclosure is a moment of huge trust, and how you respond in the first few minutes matters more than any policy. A simple, safe approach looks like this:

• Find a private, safe space and give them your full attention, without rushing.
• Believe them and avoid judgement. Do not ask why they have not left, and do not push for detail they are not ready to share.
• Agree how to stay in touch safely. Acas suggests practical steps like a code word or communicating by text when calls are not safe. You can share Acas guidance on supporting staff experiencing domestic abuse with your managers so they feel prepared.
• Signpost specialist help. You are not expected to be a counsellor. Point them towards professional services such as the national domestic abuse helpline, and let them lead on what happens next.

How can employers support employees experiencing domestic abuse day to day?

Focus on safety, time, and flexibility, the three things a person in this situation usually needs most. These are concrete measures you can offer without waiting for a formal process:

• Paid safety leave or special leave for court dates, housing appointments, or moving home.
• Changes to working hours or location so their movements are harder to predict. If you are unsure how to handle these requests well, it helps to understand why flexible working requests are so often mishandled.
• A new work phone number, email address, or desk location if the abuser has these details.
• Advance notice to reception and security, plus a simple workplace safety plan agreed with the employee.
• Discreet access to an employee assistance programme or a trained first point of contact.

Do you need a domestic abuse policy, and what goes in it?

Yes, because a written domestic abuse policy turns good intentions into consistent action, whoever the manager is. Without one, support depends on luck. A strong policy is short, human, and easy to find. It should cover:

• A clear statement that the organisation takes abuse seriously and will support affected staff.
• Common signs, so managers know what to look for.
• Exactly what support is available, including leave, flexibility, and pay arrangements.
• A confidentiality promise, and a clear stance on staff who perpetrate abuse.
• Where to go for specialist help, both inside and outside the organisation.

Realistically, expect a rollout to take around six to eight weeks: roughly a week or two to draft, two to three weeks to consult with staff and any union or employee representatives, a week to train line managers, then launch and ongoing awareness. Building this properly sits within your wider approach to workplace risk management, not as a standalone tick-box.

Where can you get help putting this in place?

Start with the evidence, then get support tailoring it to your organisation. The UK Government’s report on workplace support for victims of domestic abuse is a solid, credible foundation for any employer building a case internally.

If you would like a hand turning this into something that actually works on the ground, that is where we come in. Include Consulting helps UK organisations embed support like this through a practical diversity and inclusion strategy and hands-on inclusion and manager training programmes so your people leaders feel confident, not caught off guard. Happy to talk it through whenever you are ready, just get in touch with our team. 

Getting this right

You do not need to have all the answers to make a real difference here. You need to notice the signs, respond with warmth rather than panic, and back it up with a clear policy and a few practical options. Do that, and your workplace becomes one of the safer places in someone’s week, which for a person living with abuse can matter more than you will ever know.