Story perspectives

Cost-of-Living Crisis Drives 22% Referral Surge, Girls’ Exploitation Up 54%

5/6/2026

Summary

Story summary

A cost-of-living crisis and AI-driven digital platforms have triggered a record surge in modern-slavery referrals, which rose 22 % from 2024.
The Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner recorded 23,000 potential victims in 2025, with 22 % UK nationals, 13 % Eritreans and 9 % Vietnamese.
Sexual exploitation of girls climbed 54 % over five years, prompting Commissioner Eleanor Lyons to call for a cultural shift and coordinated action across government departments instead of more police funding.

History

Historical Context

The United Kingdom’s 2015 Modern Slavery Act, which criminalised trafficking and required victim support, builds on a long-standing British involvement with slavery. That involvement, traced in Wikipedia’s “Slavery in Britain” entry, shows how historic trade and abolition debates shape today’s policy responses to exploitation, and the Home Office continues to monitor trafficking cases under the Act.

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Story summary

A cost-of-living crisis and AI-driven digital platforms have triggered a record surge in modern-slavery referrals, which rose 22 % from 2024.
The Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner recorded 23,000 potential victims in 2025, with 22 % UK nationals, 13 % Eritreans and 9 % Vietnamese.
Sexual exploitation of girls climbed 54 % over five years, prompting Commissioner Eleanor Lyons to call for a cultural shift and coordinated action across government departments instead of more police funding.

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