[ Human Trafficking, Country-by-Country ]

UNITED KINGDOM (UK) - (Tier 1) – Extracted in part from the U.S. State Dept 2023 TIP Report

The Government of the United Kingdom (UK) fully meets the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking. The government continued to demonstrate serious and sustained efforts during the reporting period, even considering the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on its anti-trafficking capacity; therefore the UK remained on Tier 1. These efforts included identifying significantly more trafficking victims. Additionally, the government devolved the NRM decision process for children to local authorities to ensure better decision-making and more timely service delivery to child victims; maintained funding; and passed the Health and Care Act with provisions related to public procurement to prevent goods tainted by forced labor from being purchased. Furthermore, the government continued to fund targeted prevention activities globally. Although the government meets the minimum standards, it prosecuted and convicted less traffickers in the past year compared with the previous year, although the multiyear upward trend in convictions continued. The government passed laws and introduced measures that NGOs, international organizations, media, and GRETA warned would have a negative impact on victim identification and protection efforts, particularly among undocumented migrants and British national victims. Government funding for victims continued to increase, but observers continued to report long-term care and reintegration support for victims were inadequate, and many potential victims continued to face years-long wait times for a conclusive grounds decision within the NRM. Observers noted this was problematic for foreign national victims who lacked the ability to work while awaiting their conclusive grounds decisions. Observers reported the government inappropriately penalized some victims solely for unlawful acts that may have been committed as a direct result of being trafficked, including immigration violations. Children in the protection system remained vulnerable to trafficking, and foreign victims faced hurdles in obtaining residence permits. The government did not report sentencing data of convicted traffickers; thus, it was unclear if judges consistently treated trafficking as a serious crime.

Prioritized Recommendations

Implement reforms to the NRM, including timely determination of victim status, to encourage more victims to come forward, particularly undocumented migrants.

Expand long-term care and reintegration support and monitor and assess outcomes of post-NRM support.

Ensure all potential victims, including individuals subject to immigration control, are consistently screened for trafficking indicators, and referred to services.

Expand nationwide the Independent Child Trafficking Guardians (ICTG) program and train more social workers and care providers to better safeguard child victims.

Ensure victims are not inappropriately penalized solely for unlawful acts, including immigration violations, committed as a direct result of being trafficked.

Seek adequate penalties for convicted traffickers, which should involve significant prison terms.

Vigorously investigate and prosecute suspected trafficking crimes, particularly in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Increase victim identification training for and the number of first responder organizations to make referrals to the NRM.

Appoint a new Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner, to provide independent oversight.

Establish a database on investigations, prosecutions, convictions, and prison sentence data across the UK, categorized by type of trafficking.

Provide a clear route to residency for foreign victims and ensure potential foreign victims who are referred into the NRM can work.

Improve victims’ ability to access court-ordered restitution in criminal cases and compensation through civil proceedings.

Ensure the statutory definition of trafficking under the Modern Slavery Act (MSA) and similar provisions in Northern Ireland do not require movement of the victim as an element of the crime.

Provide a trafficking-specific long-term alternative for foreign victims at risk if returned to their home country.

Ensure all victims have access to timely legal aid.

Strengthen measures on transparency in supply chains, including holding companies to account for noncompliance.

Strengthen and monitor anti-trafficking efforts in the British Overseas Territories.