UK ‘failing’ in legal duty to provide compensation for modern slavery victims

The Council of Europe – a human rights body separate to the EU of which the UK is a member – obligates the Government to ensure slavery and trafficking victims can access compensation both from exploiters and the state.

The UK Government’s modern slavery strategy also underlines a commitment to compensation provision, noting it “can be very important in a survivor’s recovery”.

But a probe by the JPIMedia Investigations team has found evidence victims right across the UK are being denied the chance to recoup damages.

A freedom of information request to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA), the Government-sponsored programme of redress for victims in England, Wales and Scotland, has revealed the vast majority of applications by slavery survivors are unsuccessful.

The body received at least 254 applications from people who said they were modern slavery survivors between 2015 and 2020. But only between 24 and 56 awards were made in that time.

Where there were five or fewer awards in a single year the figures are suppressed to protect anonymity, so an exact number is not available. CICA added its figures cannot show the applications were directly due to a victim’s trafficking experience.