At Jimmy’s Cambridge, we recently held a powerful and eye-opening session on modern day slavery. Modern day slavery in the UK is a hidden crisis. This is a critical issue that directly impacts people experiencing homelessness, as well as other vulnerable individuals in our local community.
What Is Modern Day Slavery?
Modern day slavery includes:
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Forced labour – This occurs when individuals are coerced to work against their will, often under threat of violence, punishment, or debt. Victims may be forced to work long hours for little or no pay and are often trapped through intimidation, isolation, or lack of legal status.
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Human trafficking – Human trafficking involves the recruitment, movement, or harbouring of people through force, fraud, or deception for the purpose of exploitation. This can include sexual exploitation, labour exploitation, or organ harvesting.
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Debt bondage – Also known as bonded labour, this is when a person is forced to work to repay a debt—but the debt is manipulated to ensure it can never be paid off. Victims may work for years or even decades under this form of slavery, often passed on through generations.
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Domestic servitude – This involves people (often women and girls) being forced to work in private homes as cleaners, nannies, or carers. They may be isolated, have their movement restricted, and work long hours without pay or rest.
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Criminal exploitation – Victims are forced to commit crimes such as drug trafficking (e.g. County Lines operations), shoplifting, benefit fraud, or burglary. They may be under constant surveillance and threatened with violence if they try to leave.
It’s not just something that happens overseas. It’s happening right now in the UK, including here in Cambridgeshire.
According to recent government reports, over 23,000 suspected victims of modern slavery were identified in the UK. Alarmingly, 25% of those referrals involved British nationals. This is a serious and growing concern, often hidden in legitimate industries such as:
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Food processing and agriculture
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Nail bars and beauty salons
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Construction sites
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Domestic cleaning and care homes
What We Learned—and Why It Matters
Our session was guided by the Modern Slavery Act 2015. It highlighted the need for vigilance, awareness, and education—not only to protect the people we support, but also our own staff.
“People are being exploited in every community across the country.”
– Eleanor Lyons, UK Anti-Slavery Commissioner
Why People Facing Homelessness Are at Greater Risk
People experiencing homelessness, housing insecurity, or financial hardship are often targeted by traffickers. They may be offered cash-in-hand work, accommodation, or other forms of “help” that quickly turn into exploitation.
At Jimmy’s Cambridge, we are deeply committed to identifying signs of human trafficking and modern slavery, and taking steps to prevent it within our organisation and community.
👉 Learn more about spotting the signs of modern slavery at the Modern Slavery Helpline
👉 Visit the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority to understand how exploitation occurs in legal industries
Here are some quotes from victims of modern day slavery.
