Modern Slavery in the UK

The government estimates that at any one time there are 10,000 to 13,000 people in situations of slavery in the UK, but experts believe it is closer to 100,000. Government estimate the annual cost to be £4.3bn but, again, experts say it is nearer £32.9bn. The Modern Slavery Act 2015 provides measures for dealing with slavery and human trafficking. For example, requiring businesses to disclose annually what action they have taken to ensure there is no modern slavery in their business or supply chains. But recent legislation threatens to undermine this. For example, the Nationality and Borders Act, intended to address immigration and asylum concerns, also includes changes in how the UK deals with modern slavery. More than a third of modern slavery victims known in 2020 were British nationals and so it makes no sense that they are adversely affected by laws aimed at small boat smuggling. New deadlines on reporting what has happened to victims are likely to deter many from coming forward to seek help, and trafficked victims from overseas are fearful of deportation, as this case makes plain https://bit.ly/3zUncI4