A decade after Britain’s groundbreaking Modern Slavery Act of 2015 positioned the country at the forefront of the global fight against human trafficking, new legislation targeting illegal migration is leaving thousands of victims trapped in modern slavery.
This shift in focus, as the government grapples with the growing number of migrants arriving on small boats, has severely diminished the protections offered to vulnerable individuals.
Sources from government, law enforcement, judiciary and charities revealed that the introduction of tougher immigration laws in 2023 has created a chilling effect – denying support to victims and deterring others from seeking help for fear of deportation.
The 2015 Modern Slavery Act had previously forced businesses to combat slavery in their supply chains and bolstered victim support, but that progress is now being undermined.
"The focus on illegal migration risks undermining the protection for those who are truly suffering," said Kathy Betteridge, director at the Salvation Army. New requirements for victims to provide greater proof of exploitation to qualify for state support have led to a sharp rise in rejections – up to 45% in 2023, compared to just 11% the year before.
The first nine months of 2024 have seen little improvement, with the rejection rate holding steady at 46%.
In 2023, the Home Office identified approximately 17,000 potential victims of modern slavery, many of whom were migrants brought to Britain for forced labor in industries like nail salons, car washes, sex work and the drug trade.
Yet, experts believe this number represents just a fraction of the true scale of modern slavery, with a House of Lords report estimating up to 130,000 victims across the U.K.
"When the Modern Slavery Act was passed, the U.K. was a leader in the fight against human trafficking. That is no longer the case," the October report stated, urging the government to revise its immigration policies.
Despite promises to amend these rules, the Labour government, led by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, has made no significant changes, maintaining the Conservative ban on asylum-seekers claiming modern slavery protections.
A Home Office spokesperson defended the government’s stance, vowing to tackle the criminal gangs behind exploitation and clear the backlog of cases awaiting final decisions on modern slavery claims.
However, critics argue that these tougher laws are disproportionately affecting vulnerable individuals, particularly women and children, who continue to face physical and sexual abuse while trapped in forced labor.
The increased scrutiny under the new immigration policies has led to a significant uptick in rejections for modern slavery victims.
Data from the Home Office indicates that in 2023, 45% of slavery cases were denied, a drastic leap from 11% the previous year. The tougher standards for proving exploitation have left many without the support they desperately need.
One such victim, a Filipino woman who had suffered abuse while working as a live-in nanny in Qatar, was rejected from the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) on the grounds of insufficient information – despite presenting evidence of physical and sexual abuse.
Her story highlights the difficulties many victims face in providing evidence while still in fear of their perpetrators.
Charities and advocacy groups argue that the system is now more geared toward preventing fraud than protecting victims.
The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) found that British nationals had an 85% chance of a positive first-stage decision in 2023, compared to just 44% for foreigners – a troubling disparity that is growing as the rules tighten.
The former director of the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA) warned that these changes are having a "chilling effect" on victims coming forward. Under the new rules, even when law enforcement agents suspect someone is a victim of modern slavery, they are often discouraged from referring them to the NRM due to the risk of rejection.
The Home Office spent 124.6 million pounds ($155.2 million) in 2023-2024 on identifying and supporting victims, but critics argue that this is insufficient and misallocated, especially when the system fails to help those most in need.
Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner Eleanor Lyons emphasized that the NRM should be a tool for safeguarding, not for punishing victims.
She also expressed concern that policies like the Rwanda deportation plan have scared potential victims into silence.
While the Home Office continues to claim progress in tackling modern slavery, the harsh reality for many victims remains unchanged.
Thousands of vulnerable individuals are left without the support they need, and the U.K.'s reputation as a leader in the global fight against human trafficking is at risk.
