Government actions pushing more survivors of trafficking into insecure immigration status
Just 4% of trafficking victims are granted permission to stay in the UK after escaping exploitation, reveals a new report published by Helen Bamber Foundation, ATLEU and EPCAT UK. This severe lack of protection pushes many survivors into poverty, destitution, and heightened risk of being re-trafficked, underscoring urgent gaps in the government’s response to modern slavery.
Other key findings from the Road to Nowhere report include:
In 2024 there were 699 confirmed child victims who needed immigration leave, but fewer than five received temporary permission to stay
While 4,240 non-British nationals were confirmed to be victims of trafficking in the same year, only 176 victims were granted permission to stay in the UK (‘leave to remain’) via the National Referral Mechanism - just 4%
4,064 adults were refused a grant of leave, despite many needing to stay in the country for their recovery and to assist with the prosecution of their traffickers
Almost half (over 40%) of those who were granted leave were given less than 12 months, denying them much-needed security and stability to recover from trauma.
Non-British nationals who are confirmed victims of trafficking by the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) – the UK framework for identifying and protecting victims of trafficking and modern slavery – can be granted ‘temporary permission to stay’ (also known as leave to remain or VTS Leave). This is vital for them to support themselves and access key services. Without it, they can be pushed into poverty, destitution and isolation, making them far more vulnerable to abuse, exploitation and re-trafficking.
Not having leave has a profound impact on the mental health of survivors. They can be left afraid and anxious about the possibility of being removed from the UK or being held in detention, deterring many from coming forward to seek help.
For children, lack of secure immigration status can be particularly damaging. It affects their ability to engage in education, feel safe in care placements, or plan for their future. It also increases their risk of going missing or being re-trafficked, especially if they are in the UK alone.
Without leave to remain, survivors are left in limbo, and many rely on the asylum system as the only way of ensuring they get secure immigration status. This is despite the high risk of being re-trafficked if returned to their country of origin or left living precariously in the UK.
But worryingly, the government is committed to swiftly returning people from countries such as Albania and Vietnam without fully considering their asylum claims, which has resulted in fewer survivors of trafficking being granted refugee status.
The report calls on the government to give all confirmed survivors of trafficking an automatic grant of five years leave to remain, in line with other grants of protection.
Road to Nowhere: The impact of insecure immigration status of survivors of trafficking. Full report.