Modern Slavery Cases in Britain Reach Record High

Modern slavery cases in Britain have reached a record high, with the number of potential victims referred to the UK’s National Referral Mechanism (NRM) increasing by 33% in 2022 compared to the previous year. This surge highlights the growing prevalence of modern slavery in the UK, which includes various forms of exploitation such as trafficking, forced labour, and servitude. The 2023 Global Slavery Index estimates that on any given day in 2021, there were 122,000 people living in modern slavery in the UK, placing the country among those with the lowest prevalence of modern slavery in the region.

The increase in reported cases can be attributed to several factors, including greater awareness, improved reporting mechanisms, and enhanced police recording. For instance, the Modern Slavery Helpline received a 68% increase in calls and submissions in the year ending December 2018, compared with the previous year. Additionally, there were 5,144 modern slavery offences recorded by the police in England and Wales in the year ending March 2019, an increase of 51% from the previous year. The number of potential victims referred through the UK National Referral Mechanism (NRM) increased by 36% to 6,985 in the year ending December 2018.

The impact of modern slavery on the economy and investment landscape is significant. Victims are often exploited in various sectors, including agriculture, hospitality, and manufacturing, which rely heavily on migrant workers. For example, recent evidence shows exploitation of migrant workers within the government’s seasonal worker visa scheme, which has rapidly expanded from 2,500 visas issued in its 2019 pilot, to 47,000 in 2023. Investigations revealed cases involving the exploitation of Nepali and Indonesian migrant workers, who were made to pay extortionate fees to agents working for UK licenced recruitment companies to secure jobs on fruit farms under the scheme.

The government has implemented several policies and initiatives to address the rise in modern slavery cases. For instance, the government has pledged to eradicate the backlog of decisions on modern slavery cases referred to the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) by hiring 200 additional Home Office staff to process cases. This measure aims to provide faster decisions on cases, allowing vulnerable people to move forward with their lives and avoid prolonged uncertainty and mental health suffering caused by long delays. Additionally, the government has announced measures on issues linked to the long-term reform of the modern slavery system, including its manifesto commitment to introduce a standalone offence of child criminal exploitation and the creation of the Fair Work Agency (FWA) through the recently introduced Employment Rights Bill.

However, additional measures could be implemented to enhance the effectiveness of these policies. For example, the government could consider developing a new and overhauled Modern Slavery Strategy that includes actions to address all forms of exploitation, including the increasing prevalence of criminal exploitation of children and adults, and exploitation facilitated by technology. This strategy should also include actions to enhance partnerships with financial intelligence, the financial services industry, and financial regulators to better identify the proceeds from trafficking crimes. Furthermore, the government could resume publication of its annual reports on human trafficking, as recommended by the committee, to provide key outputs and Home Office policies that are in development to address shortcomings, including prevention work, victim support for those in the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) and post-NRM, and support for UK nationals. This would help ensure that the work being done to tackle this crime is shared and monitored, and that the government remains committed to identifying victims of modern slavery, both UK and foreign nationals, and providing appropriate support where necessary.