Modern slavery and housing: rights and support for victims

People who survive modern slavery often have nowhere safe to live. Modern slavery includes trafficking, forced labour, and domestic servitude. The way you were exploited can leave you in unsafe housing or with no home at all. This page explains what housing support you may get. It also explains what rights you have.

What is modern slavery?

Modern slavery covers a range of serious crimes including:

• Trafficking: moving or holding someone through force, fraud, or threats, to exploit them
• Forced labour: making someone work through threats or violence
• Domestic servitude: exploiting someone in a home, often with little freedom to leave and no pay or very low pay
• Sexual exploitation
• Child labour and exploitation

Your exploiters may have put you in a home in poor condition. You may have had no tenancy rights. You may have been left with no home when you escaped or were rescued.

National Referral Mechanism (NRM)

The National Referral Mechanism is the UK's system. It helps to find, support, and refer people who have survived modern slavery. A first responder can refer you to the NRM. This could be a social worker, police officer, housing officer, or charity worker. The Home Office then decides if you are a victim.

If the Home Office accepts your case, you may be able to get:

• Safe house accommodation through the Modern Slavery Victim Care Contract, run by the Salvation Army and its partners
• Financial support during your recovery period
• Legal advice and support
• Access to NHS treatment

In some cases you can refer yourself. For help, call the Modern Slavery Helpline (0800 0121 700).

Housing options after leaving exploitation

The first support period does not last forever. After it ends, your housing options depend on your situation:

Homelessness application: You may be able to apply to the council as homeless if you have no home. Your immigration status will affect whether you qualify. So will whether you have a local connection. Some people who survive trafficking get leave to remain in the UK after their NRM decision. This may change what support they can get.

Social housing: The council may be able to help you with social housing. This depends on whether you are eligible and in priority need. For example, you may count as in priority need because of the trauma and harm caused by your exploitation.

Dedicated housing for trafficking victims: Some areas have special housing for people who survive trafficking, run by charities. Local support groups can tell you what is on offer. The Salvation Army can also advise, through the victim care contract.

Safeguarding and confidentiality

Housing professionals and social workers may be helping you. If so, they must keep you safe and keep your details private. They should not share your information in a way that lets your exploiters find you.

You may live in rented housing. If so, you have the same rights as any other tenant. You are protected from harassment and illegal eviction. Your home must be safe and in good repair.

When should I contact Support for Tenants?

We help tenants with housing disrepair claims. We check whether you may have a claim and refer you to a solicitor from our panel. You may have survived modern slavery and now live in rented housing that is in disrepair. If so, your landlord still has to repair and look after the property. These duties apply in the same way as for any other tenant. Call us.

Call us on 0800 030 4669. No upfront cost. You only pay if you win, and the fee comes out of the compensation, not your pocket. If you don't win, you pay nothing.

Sources

• Modern Slavery Act 2015 (legislation.gov.uk)

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• Care Act housing rights, what social care tenants need to know