ATLEU has joined 32 other organisations across the Modern Slavery sector in a joint open letter urging the government to treat everyone who makes their home in the UK with dignity and respect.

ATLEU has provided a statement in support of a legal challenge to the government’s new proposals to deny UK citizenship to those who arrive here illegally which will impact a large number of survivors of trafficking.

UK law must enable all survivors of trafficking and modern slavery to access rights and justice, irrespective of their immigration status. The Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, which enters report stage in the House of Commons this week, would do the opposite.

Together with 15 other organisations working on trafficking and modern slavery, we told the government about the particular legal advice crisis facing survivors and the changes needed to solve this crisis.

The High Court has found that denial of legal aid to four victims of trafficking breached their rights under Article 6 of the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR).

Members of our Lived Experience Group, ATLEU Changemakers, discussed the problems that need to be fixed to create a more fair, compassionate and efficient system at an event last week hosted by Blackstone Chambers.

The Seasonal Worker Interest Group has today provided first hand evidence of the serious levels of abuse that workers are facing in its submission to the Office of the Director of Labour Market Enforcement (ODLME). .

The Home Secretary has agreed to amend the process by which victims of trafficking can re-enter specialist trafficking support provided under the Modern Slavery Victim Care Contract, after a judicial review brought by ATLEU.

ATLEU has sent the government an official outline of the problems with the Seasonal Worker Visa in the next stage of our ongoing legal challenge to the scheme.

As of 20 November, support payments made under the Modern Slavery Victim Care Contract (MSVCC) towards the recovery needs of survivors will no longer be counted against their financial eligibility for legal aid.

Providing the right support and protection to survivors of human trafficking and modern slavery, including long-term leave to remain, is integral to ensuring that they can recover and rebuild their lives and reduce the risk of re-trafficking or further exploitation.

In 2019 a pilot scheme was opened for migrant workers to come to the UK on the ‘Seasonal Worker Visa’ to work in horticulture. We’re part of a coalition calling on the next government to review the Seasonal Worker visa scheme in its entirety.