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UK Modern Slavery Referrals Reach Record 23,000 in 2025, Up 22% from Prior Year
An independent report published on Monday highlighted a 22% rise in referrals of potential modern slavery victims in Britain last year, marking the highest number ever recorded. The document warns that cost of living pressures and emerging technologies are fueling increased exploitation. Urgent government action is needed to combat evolving criminal networks, according to the findings.
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An independent report published on Monday warned that cost of living pressures are driving up exploitation levels in Britain, with over 23,000 potential victims of modern slavery referred to a monitoring group in 2025. BBC News reported that this figure represents a 22% increase from the previous year and stands as the highest number ever recorded.
The report, issued by the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner (IASC), cautions that people trafficking, forced labour, and sexual exploitation will become harder to detect in the coming years without urgent action against criminal networks.
More than a fifth of the potential victims identified in 2025 were from the UK, making it the largest single group. Eritrean nationals accounted for 13% of the referrals, while Vietnamese nationals made up 9%. These statistics underscore a shift where exploitation increasingly affects people within Britain, as highlighted in the analysis.
The report draws together evidence from more than 50 organisations to examine how exploitation may evolve. It identifies rising living costs, debt, and insecure work as three main factors contributing to the rise. Additionally, the document states that artificial intelligence (AI) and digital platforms are enabling traffickers to recruit, groom, and control victims at scale.
Eleanor Lyons, appointed as the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner in October 2023, said the report underlined how exploitation is increasingly affecting people within the UK. She stated: 'The most harrowing forms of exploitation are becoming more widespread in this country and evolving faster than we can respond.
