News · 5 May 2026
Over 23,000 UK slavery victims referred last year
Photo by SAKO Sarah Koenig on Unsplash
British people are increasingly facing severe exploitation, as rising living costs and new technology empower criminal networks. A record 23,000 potential modern slavery victims were referred to monitoring groups in 2025, a 22% rise from the previous year. The independent anti-slavery commissioner warned this exploitation is becoming harder to detect, especially affecting children through online platforms.
Reported by BBC · How we write briefs