Forced labour: contemporary slavery in the UK

Our overall goal is to contribute to a reduction in forced labour in the UK by:

• highlighting the issue with new, robust evidence on the extent of forced labour and interventions that might help eradicate it; and
• identifying practical solutions and sharing best practice in supporting victims of forced labour.

Key issues

Indicators of forced labour include*:

• threats or actual physical harm to the worker;
• restriction of movement and confinement, to the workplace or to a limited area;
• debt bondage, where the worker works to pay off debt or a loan, and is not paid for his or her services;
• the employer may provide food and accommodation at such inflated prices that the worker cannot escape the debt
• withholding of wages or excessive wage reductions that violate previously made agreements;
• retention of passports and identify documents, so that the worker cannot leave, or prove his/her identify and status;
• threat of denunciation to the authorities, where the worker has an irregular immigration status.

Forced labour is thought to occur in a number of sectors and often involves work which is difficult, dirty and dangerous. Migrant workers in particular are vulnerable to forced labour situations.

Although there is evidence of forced labour occurring in the UK – drawn from practical experience, journalistic accounts and research studies – there is a real need for more extensive and robust evidence.

Forthcoming work

Phase 1 of the forced labour programme aims to improve the availability of evidence, through research projects exploring the scope and experience of forced labour in the UK. Four projects have been funded in this phase (Word, 64KB). Findings from this research will be published during 2011. 

The JRF has also commissioned three linked papers on forced labour in the UK that will examine the interaction between legal, regulatory and policy frameworks on the three themes of business, immigration policy and labour rights and regulation. These will also be published during 2011.

Phase 2 will focus on support for victims of forced labour. JRF is funding a review of responses to forced labour in the European Union. This work is being undertaken by a team from the Working Lives Research Institute at London Metropolitan University together with a number of partners from other European institutions and will be published in autumn 2011.

* Reference: ILO (International Labour Organization) (2004) 'Human trafficking and forced labour exploitation: guidelines for legislators and law enforcement', in B. Anderson and B. Rogaly (2005) Forced labour and migration to the UK, London: TUC/COMPAS, p 16.