30 July 2018

An independent review has been launched into the Modern Slavery Act after a cross-party report revealed the extent of economic and social costs related to the crime.

Home Office research published today found that victims of modern slavery have a high chance of experiencing violence and sexual exploitation - including rape. Further, it estimated that the issue as a whole comes at a cost of £4.3 billion a year to the UK economy.

Each instance of crime incurs an average cost of £330,000, which includes the cost of lost earnings and the use of public services such as healthcare and law enforcement, but most significantly the physical and emotional harms suffered by workers, who are often exploited for months or years.

The review will be led by Frank Field MP, Baroness Butler-Sloss and Maria Miller MP and intends to identify how the law can be improved to tackle modern slavery.