Record number of modern slavery victims in UK, figures show

The number of suspected victims of modern slavery in the United Kingdom has risen to the highest level in more than a decade, figures from the government show.

The Home Office reports that some 12,727 potential victims of human trafficking and modern slavery were identified in 2021 - up 20 percent on the previous year.

The data, published today, concerns that number of people who sought help through the government's National Referral Mechanism (NRM).

More than half of the people referred (58 per cent) said they had been exploited in the UK, and just under a third (31 per cent) said it had taken place overseas.

The Home Office also received reports of 3,190 potential adult modern slavery victims under the Duty to Notify (DtN) process – a 47% rise on 2020 (2,175).

This is where authorities – like Border Force, immigration authorities and the police – must report suspected victims who do not consent to being referred under the NRM.

Campaign group After Exploitation, which tracks modern slavery data, described this rise as a “worrying trend” and suggested more people identified as potentially eligible for support are “now even less willing to engage with authorities” than before.

CARE is campaigning for better support for confirmed victims of human trafficking and modern slavery in the UK and has expressed concerns that current immigration proposals from the UK Government threaten protections.

We are urging politicians to support amendments to the Nationality and Borders Bill to ensure victims have a statutory right to 12 months of support, and a legal right to remain.

A spokeswoman for CARE commented:

"Today's news is alarming for those of us seeking to curb criminal exploitation in the UK. The number of suspected victims of trafficking and modern slavery in the UK has risen sharply and can only be expected to rise further following tragic humanitarian crises in both Afghanistan and Ukraine.

"Getting the approach to vulnerable victims right is even more important in light of these facts. The Government must not diminish rights and protections through its Nationality and Borders Bill. We call on parliamentarians in all parties to ensure this doesn't happen."

More information on our concerns about Nationality and Borders Bill can be found in this briefing:

Briefing: Nationality and Borders Bill and Modern Slavery | CARE