UK asylum seekers not widely abusing modern slavery rules, report finds | Immigration and asylum

Asylum seekers are not widely abusing the UK’s modern slavery system, according to a new report from the centre-right thinktank Bright Blue, challenging claims made by successive home secretaries.

Limited Evidence of Abuse

The Bright Blue report found limited evidence to support assertions that asylum seekers are falsely claiming to be victims of modern slavery to avoid deportation. Several home secretaries have previously blamed the system for hindering deportation efforts.

The findings also suggest that proposed changes to modern slavery rules by current Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood may have a limited impact on the number of asylum claims.

The report’s authors recommend a new system focused on earlier detection of modern slavery, which they believe could address the limited amount of abuse that does occur.

Ryan Shorthouse, founder and executive chair of Bright Blue, stated, “The Home Office thinks the modern slavery referral system is being abused because it allows people to stay in the country a bit longer. But while there may be some abuse, we are sceptical that it is widespread.”

Rise in Referrals

The modern-day slavery rules were introduced in England and Wales in 2015 by then-Home Secretary Theresa May, establishing a formal process for assessing potential victims of slavery and human trafficking.

Referrals to the system have increased significantly since its inception, rising from just over 3,000 in 2015 to more than 19,000 last year.

Recent home secretaries have attributed this increase to asylum seekers falsely claiming victim status to avoid deportation. They have noted that nationalities commonly referred for assessment under trafficking rules also represent a significant portion of asylum claims. British nationals, along with individuals from Albania, Vietnam, and Eritrea, comprise the largest groups undergoing evaluation for modern-day slavery.

Mahmood has accused asylum seekers of submitting “vexatious, last-minute claims” following a High Court decision blocking the deportation of an Eritrean man who alleged he was a victim of trafficking.

Referral Process and Outcomes

The report highlights that asylum seekers cannot self-refer for assessment; referrals must come from third-party organizations. 97% of claims originate from public bodies, including Border Force, police authorities, local authorities, and the Home Office itself.

The report found that 90% of those referred were assessed to have reasonable grounds for being classified as victims, indicating that the vast majority of cases are not considered vexatious.

Furthermore, being classified as a victim of modern-day slavery does not automatically grant leave to remain in the UK. The classification often leads to compensation and only temporary permission to stay.

The authors suggest that the government should focus on training statutory first-responder organizations, such as the Home Office and Border Force, to improve the early detection of trafficking and slavery. They propose banning those in detention – who have already been assessed by these organizations – from being referred at all.

A Home Office spokesperson stated that modern slavery referrals are rising and that the home secretary has announced reforms “to identify vulnerable people and stop misuse.” The spokesperson added that the reforms “fundamentally reform the approach to illegal migration, making Britain a less attractive destination for illegal migrants and harder for people to block their removal from this country.”