AXA UK introduces domestic abuse policy

AXA UK has launched a new domestic abuse policy and support hub
The policy offers up to five days paid leave to help support people when they need it most
Around 2.3 million people experienced domestic abuse last year

With domestic abuse on the rise according to the latest Government statistics, AXA UK has launched a new workplace policy to support those affected.

The policy provides extra support to employees who are experiencing domestic abuse, including five days paid leave to help make arrangements such as attending police interviews and appointments, viewing properties and seeking professional advice, without affecting their annual leave entitlement.

The policy also includes:

Supporting information to managers and colleagues on how to spot the signs someone may be experiencing domestic abuse and how they can help
Signposting to external organisations and charities specialising in this type of support
A dedicated guide for managers which provides details on how to start a conversation, what workplace support is available and how to get further advice and support
Information about what is classed as domestic abuse (domestic abuse is an incident or pattern of incidents of controlling, coercive, threatening, degrading and violent behaviour, including sexual violence, in the majority of cases by a partner or ex-partner, but also by a family member or carer)

Anyone can be affected by domestic abuse – it’s believed that one in four women and one in six men will experience domestic abuse in their lifetime. Around 2.3 million adults in England and Wales experienced domestic abuse last year and in Scotland there were 65,251 recorded incidents in 2021¹ . This represents a significant increase on the previous year and, additionally, demand on domestic abuse helplines also rose.

Domestic abuse can take a number of forms, including psychological, emotional, economic, sexual and physical abuse and it can have devastating and long-term impacts for those affected, both at home and also in the workplace.

Supporting the wellbeing of our employees is a priority at AXA UK. This new policy, developed with the help of our internal employee network, Balance, along with the valuable input of employees who have experienced domestic abuse themselves, is a valuable new addition to the services and support we have available.

Suzanne Scott, Chief People & CR Officer at AXA UK&I

¹Domestic abuse statistics taken from the Office of National Statistics.

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Legal notes

About AXA UK

AXA Insurance UK plc registered in England and Wales under registered number 078950 and authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Prudential Regulation Authority and the Financial Conduct Authority under Financial Conduct Authority registration number 202312. Registered office is 20 Gracechurch Street, London, EC3V 0BG.

AXA UK is part of the AXA Group, a worldwide leader in insurance and asset management, with 147,000 employees serving 94 million clients in 50 countries. In 2023, IFRS revenues amounted to Euro 102.7 billion and underlying earnings to Euro 7.6 billion. AXA had Euro 844 billion in assets under management as of December 31, 2023.

In the UK & Ireland, AXA operates through a number of business units including: AXA Insurance, AXA Health and AXA Ireland. AXA UK & Ireland employs around 10,000 staff.

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AXA UK introduces domestic abuse policy, providing additional paid leave to employees in need