Modern slavery and how to spot it
Did you know that an estimated 130,000 people in the UK are trapped in slavery today? Modern slavery exists in many forms, and you might regularly see people who are in slavery without knowing it. It can be difficult to spot the signs, which is why it’s important to be familiar with them.
What is modern slavery?
Modern slavery is where someone is taken advantage of, forced, or tricked into being exploited. The person can't refuse or leave because of threats, violence, coercion, or deception.
There are lots of different forms of modern slavery in the UK, including:
- human trafficking;
- criminal exploitation (such as forcing someone into drug trafficking or cannabis farming);
- sexual exploitation;
- domestic slavery (forcing someone to work in a private home);
- debt bondage (trapping someone in work to repay a debt);
- forced labour in factories, farms, construction sites, shops, bars, car washes, and more;
- forced and early marriage (most child marriages are considered slavery).
Who is at risk of modern slavery?
Many people are trafficked into slavery in the UK from overseas, but vulnerable British people are also targeted, especially children from disadvantaged backgrounds. More than a third of those referred to the UK authorities in 2024 were children, and 23% were British nationals.
How to spot modern slavery
The signs that indicate that someone is experiencing slavery might not be obvious at first. But there are things you can look out for. The person might:
- appear to be under someone else’s control;
- appear frightened or withdrawn;
- be reluctant to interact with others including strangers or police/health workers;
- be unable to move around freely;
- not have access to personal ID;
- show signs of physical or psychological abuse;
- have few personal belongings, wear the same clothes each day, or unsuitable clothes for work;
- be dropped off and collected for work in the same way and at unusual times (very early or late at night).
What should I do if I think someone is in slavery?
If you suspect someone is in slavery, don’t approach them about it, as it may lead to more harm for them.
Instead, call the Modern Slavery Helpline on 0800 012 1700 or fill out an online form at modernslaveryhelpline.org.
Our approach
We’re committed to making sure we follow our legal and regulatory responsibilities, which include the Modern Slavery Act 2015. We take care to make sure slavery and human trafficking is not part of our business or supply chain.
All our employees are given training so that they know what to do if they think a person is experiencing slavery. Some of our teams also receive in-depth training to help spot the signs in our work with customers and their communities.
Read our statement on modern slavery at chp.org.uk/modern-slavery.