Contact us
Spearheading the UK’s fight against modern slavery
Kevin Hyland OBE is the UK’s first Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner. The Commissioner’s role was created as one of the key provisions of the Modern Slavery Act 2015.
About the Commissioner

What is modern slavery?

Modern slavery is an umbrella term encompassing slavery, servitude, forced or compulsory labour and human trafficking. Victims of modern slavery are unable to leave their situation of exploitation, controlled by threats, punishment, violence, coercion and deception. Slavery violates human rights, denying people of their right to life, freedom and security.

45,800,000
people live in slavery today
(Global Slavery Index 2016)
13,000
potential victims of slavery are in the UK
(Home Office 2014)
21,000,000
people are victims of forced labour
(ILO 2012)

The Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner's five priorities:

Victim care logo
Victim Identification & Care
To drive improved identification of victims of modern slavery and enhanced levels of immediate and sustained support for victims and survivors across the UK.
Law enforcement logo
Law Enforcement & Criminal Justice
To promote an improved law enforcement and criminal justice response across the UK, to support development and adoption of effective training and to increase awareness across relevant statutory agencies.
Private sector logo
Private Sector Engagement
To engage with the private sector to promote policies to ensure that supply chains are free from slavery and to encourage effectual transparency reporting.
Partnerships logo
Partnerships
To identify, promote and facilitate best practice in partnership working and to encourage improved data sharing and high quality research into key issues.
International collaboration logo
International Collaboration
To encourage effective and targeted international collaboration to combat modern slavery.

Statutory Agencies

The Commissioner has a UK-wide remit to encourage good practice in the prevention, detection, investigation and prosecution of modern slavery offences. In order to achieve his aims the Commissioner works directly with statutory agencies, who have a duty to co-operate with the Commissioner as set out in the Modern Slavery Act.
NHS
Police
Local Authorities
Immigration Agencies

Recent News & Insights

News | 15 August 2017
Secrets of slavery at your local car wash
The Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner spoke to the Daily Mirror about modern slavery in hand car washes across the UK, and how members of the public can join the fight and spot the signs. The Daily Mirror visited 10 hand car washes and found all...
News | 11 August 2017
New research piece: Tackling modern slavery through supply chains
The Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner (IASC) is partnering with the University of Nottingham on a research project to tackle modern slavery in business supply chains.   The Global Slavery Index reports there to be 45.8 million slaves worldwide....
News | 10 August 2017
Human trafficking and slavery affecting ‘every large town and city in UK’
The Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner speaks to May Bulman of the Independent on the scale of modern slavery in the UK and the need for sufficient gathering of intelligence in order to combat the crime. You can read the full article here.
News | 09 August 2017
Failure to tackle child traffickers ‘like letting rapist loose in London’
The Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner urges law enforcement agencies to utilise data and intelligence in order to boost the fight against modern slavery. He also calls on technology firms and businesses to play their part in order to protect children...
News | 01 August 2017
UK supermarket helps restore 'dignity of work' to trafficking victims
The Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner speaks to Lin Taylor at Thomson Reuters about the importance of long-term support for victims and the admirable work of the Co-op and City Hearts. You can read the full article here.
News | 30 July 2017
Nigerian agents to snare slavers at UK airports
On the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner, Kevin Hyland OBE, speaks to the Sunday Times about the important work needed to prevent modern slavery. As Nigerian officials are posted in UK airports to curb the...
© 2017 Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner
Follow the Commissioner
Quick Exit