Starter for Ten - Labour Exploitation
Claire Walford
Labour exploitation is the most common form of modern slavery in the UK.
Read our fact file below and make sure you are informed!
- In 2025, a third of all potential victims in the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) were referred for labour exploitation.
- In 2025, cases of labour abuse reported to the Modern Slavery & Exploitation Helpline rose by 65%.
- In the UK, labour exploitation is most common in construction, agriculture, car washes, nail bars, hospitality and factories.
4. Many victims are trafficked from abroad and forced to work to pay off debts. They are often brought to the UK to fill gaps in the seasonal labour market where there is high demand for short term workers.
5. Modern slavery is not the same as poor working conditions and the distinction is important. The key distinction is coercion and control - where the enslaved person is unable to escape the situation due to threats, abuse or violence.
6. In terms of sectors, the care sector reported the highest number of cases for the third consecutive year, with 170 recorded in 2025 – a 59% increase. The hospitality sector also saw a significant uplift with cases up by 85% to 163. Meanwhile, construction recorded the largest number of potential victims overall, with 710 individuals reported across 150 cases.
7. Victims can be forced to give the majority, if not all, of their wages to their exploiters. They may have their wages deducted at source or be forced to hand over the control of their bank accounts, wages and other paperwork to their exploiter.
8. In many cases, victims are subjected to verbal threats or violence and often live in squalid conditions with other workers.
9. Sometimes victims are exploited by someone other than their employers. They may be employed in a legitimate job with legal working conditions but most or all wages are taken by 'middle men' who, for example, control their bank accounts.
10. The Safe Car Wash and Just Good Work apps are innovative tools designed to eradicate labour exploitation.
