The Unseen charity works to support survivors of trafficking and modern slavery.
The UK’s modern slavery and exploitation helpline has seen a “significant rise” in cases of suspected labour abuse and forced labour in the care sector, according to a new report.
The number of cases more than doubled in the first quarter of 2022 to 27 in the same period this year, while the number of vulnerable workers indicated in cases rose from 54 in the first three months of 2022 to 109 in the same period this year, the organisation said. Unseen said the rise in cases could be due to several factors, including awareness of modern slavery being higher across the sector, leading to more people contacting the helpline.
In some cases the debt can be as high as £25,000 which, coupled with the “likelihood of deductions being made from an individual’s pay for accommodation, food and transport” can leave people in a “cycle where they will never be able to pay off the debt”, Unseen said. Read about the scale of modern slavery in the care sector in Unseen's new report"Who Cares?". Download today and discover the latest data, insights and compelling case studies from the Modern Slavery & Exploitation Helpline 👉Unseen’s report, published on Monday, concluded that the issue of vulnerable workers falling victim to modern slavery is unlikely to go away.