Two major reports published today have highlighted the urgent need for renewed efforts from government, civil society, and law enforcement to strengthen the UK’s response to modern slavery and human trafficking. Together, the reports reveal the growing scale and complexity of exploitation, alongside ongoing challenges in identifying and supporting victims.
The Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner has published a new report, Anticipating Exploitation: A Futures Analysis, which warns that persistent pressures continue to weaken the UK’s ability to effectively respond to modern slavery.
The report highlights concerns including resource constraints, fragmented multi-agency coordination, inconsistent victim identification, declining specialist expertise, and low prosecution rates. It also points to evolving risks linked to technology, the ongoing cost of living crisis, and the changing nature of exploitation itself.
These findings are echoed in the latest country report from Council of Europe experts through GRETA, which warns that stronger safeguards are needed to protect vulnerable groups, including children, migrants, asylum seekers, and people experiencing homelessness. The report also stresses the need for improved coordination and prioritisation as the UK faces record levels of identified cases.
At Medaille Trust, these findings reflect much of what we witness every day through our work supporting survivors of modern slavery and human trafficking.
For several years, we have consistently raised concerns that policy responses have focused heavily on identifying alleged misuse of the system, while insufficient attention has been given to survivor recovery, long-term support, and safeguarding those most at risk of exploitation.
We hope these reports encourage renewed discussion and meaningful action on how the UK can better identify victims, support survivors, and prevent exploitation. A truly effective response must place survivors at its centre, while ensuring organisations and frontline services have the resources and coordination needed to respond to emerging challenges.
