The Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner's Annual Report 2025-26

Exploitation in the UK is widespread, evolving, and devastating in its impact. Behind every case is a person – someone whose life has been shaped by coercion, control, and abuse, often hidden in plain sight.

Last year saw a record number of potential victims of modern slavery identified in the UK. Too many people are still being exploited, and too many are not receiving the support they need. We must do more.

While frontline professionals work tirelessly to protect victims they are doing so under growing pressure. There remains no Government Modern Slavery Strategy, limited focus on prevention, police funding cuts to modern slavery teams, and an inaccurate conflation between human-trafficking and immigration.

This is incredibly concerning and has real-world consequences on survivors. Sustained inaction creates the conditions in which exploitation can take hold and flourish. That is why elevating survivor voice has never been more important. Systems can only protect people effectively when they reflect the realities of those they are designed to serve.

This year, I have continued to place survivor expertise at the centre of my work. A significant milestone was the first Anti-Slavery Lived Experience Advisory Panels Summit, where survivors directly shaped national thinking on identification, safeguarding, and reform. Their insights – practical, challenging, and forward-looking – will continue to guide my priorities.

As this Annual Report sets out, my office continues to deliver targeted research to drive practical, evidence-based progress across prevention, victim protection, prosecutions, and our collective understanding of exploitation. This work is helping to strengthen how the system responds to victims, improve the consistency and quality of support, and prevent harm before it occurs.

There are positive developments across the devolved nations. Wales continues to demonstrate a strong, rights-based approach; Scotland has strengthened its focus on prevention and public health; and Northern Ireland’s work on child criminal exploitation highlights the value of early intervention. These are important steps. However, gaps remain, particularly in areas that are not devolved, reinforcing the need for strong central leadership across all nations.

Together with partners across the UK, we have shown that improvement is possible – in prevention, identification, safeguarding, and enforcement. The solutions exist. What is needed now is the political will to deliver them at the scale required.

I will continue to press for meaningful reform, for a cross-government strategy with clear accountability, and for a system that does not lose sight of those it is meant to protect. Survivors’ voices will remain at the heart of this work—because only by listening to them can we build a response that truly works.

Eleanor Lyons, UK Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner

You can read the full Annual Report here.