Modern slavery: what the bill changes for victims

Part 5 of the bill (clauses 25–49) rebuilds the system around modern slavery. For victims, the key points: NRM decisions are put on a statutory footing with the Home Office (clause 35), late disclosure must be counted against your credibility (clause 36), the recovery period can end before 30 days (clause 37), adults whose claim is found to be in "bad faith" must be disqualified from protection (clause 38), and the duty to grant leave to remain to assist recovery is removed (clause 39). Also in Part 5: child trafficking guardians (40–42), conditions on support (43), new preventive orders aimed at offenders (25–34), and supply-chain slavery statements with penalties up to £1 million (44–49).

No. The Immigration and Asylum Bill was introduced to the Commons on 30 June 2026 and is now at 2nd reading. The NRM, the recovery period and victim support all still run under the current rules. The text may change substantially through amendments — we will update this page at every stage.

The National Referral Mechanism — the government system that officially recognises a person as a victim of modern slavery or human trafficking. A "first responder" (police, Home Office, local authorities, some charities) refers you into it. Then two decisions follow: a preliminary one (reasonable grounds — "there are reasonable grounds to believe") and a final one (conclusive grounds). After a positive reasonable grounds decision the recovery period starts: you cannot be removed from the UK and you are entitled to support — housing, subsistence, your own support worker.

Right now — no: nothing in the bill is in force; your support and your decisions run under the current rules. How ongoing cases would be handled if the bill passes will be set by separate transitional rules — they do not exist yet. We will update this page when they appear.

Delay can already count against you, and the bill turns that into a duty: under clause 36 the decision-maker must treat as damaging your credibility any delay in claiming to be a victim, delay in providing information, material inaccuracies and inconsistencies (including with your asylum case), and accounts "strikingly similar" to someone else's — unless there are good reasons (assessed under guidance). A separate trap: if you were served a claim notice (see the appeals page, clause 11) and disclosed slavery after its deadline, that automatically counts as a delay. The practical takeaway: disclose as early as you can — and if you could not, explain why.

Today the recovery period is a minimum of 30 days: even if a negative final decision arrives earlier, the 30 days of protection and support stand. Under clause 37, a negative conclusive grounds decision made within those 30 days ends the recovery period immediately — on the day of the decision. If no final decision is made within 30 days, the period continues until the decision day, as now.

Clause 38 rewrites "disqualification from protection". The grounds: 1) a risk to national security (terrorism, TPIM and similar measures — even where these are attributable to the person having been a victim themselves); 2) being a "threat to public order" — but not children with a right of abode or existing leave; 3) a new ground — "bad faith": the Home Office must (not "may") disqualify an adult whose claim is found to be made in bad faith. A claim made when you are already due to be removed from the UK is presumed to be bad faith — unless you met the claim notice deadline or there are compelling reasons. Consequences: protection from removal and the leave duty fall away, and no further decisions are made on the case. One safeguard: people at immediate and significant risk of (re-)trafficking in the UK are not disqualified — but this safeguard does not extend to the bad-faith ground.

Not all of it. Today the Home Office has a duty to grant a confirmed victim temporary leave to remain in three cases: to assist recovery from harm, to pursue a compensation claim, and to co-operate with an investigation. Clause 39 removes the first ground — "recovery". Compensation and co-operation with an investigation remain in the law.

Several things. Whether a child is a victim could be decided not only by the Home Office but by another nominated public authority — for example, local authorities (clause 35). Independent child trafficking advocates are renamed independent child trafficking guardians and strengthened: they can represent and/or support the child, and public authorities must involve the guardian in decisions about the child (clauses 40–42). A child with a right of abode or existing leave cannot be disqualified as a "threat to public order" (national security disqualification still applies), and the mandatory bad-faith disqualification does not apply to children (clause 38). The general adult support duties will not apply to children — children are looked after through children's services and guardians (clause 43).

Under clause 43 — yes, in one narrow case: if you lost support (for example, accommodation) through your own breach or "adverse conduct", there is no duty to provide it again — unless that conduct is attributable to the physical, psychological or social harm caused by the exploitation itself. Assessments of whether support is necessary could be made by an "authorised person" — an authorised organisation — but the Home Office gains the power to override their view that support is needed.

They target offenders, not victims: preventive orders (slavery and trafficking prevention/risk orders). What is new: a risk order could be imposed even on a person acquitted at trial (clause 25), the British Transport Police could apply for orders (26), notification requirements become mandatory (28–29), and electronic monitoring arrives — a tag for up to 12 months, renewable (31–34).

Clauses 44–49 harden supply-chain reporting (modern slavery statements): mandatory content (risks, policies, due diligence, training, effectiveness), a signed accuracy declaration, publication in a prominent place on the website and submission to the government within 6 months of the financial year end. The duty is extended to large public authorities. The penalty: up to the higher of 1% of turnover or £1 million.

Modern Slavery Helpline: 08000 121 700 — free, 24/7, anonymous, interpreters available. The Salvation Army, supporting adult victims in England and Wales: 0800 808 3733, also 24/7. In immediate danger — call 999. Free legal help — /en/lawyer. You can call "just to ask" — nothing is decided for you by calling.