Collection

Modern Slavery Act 2015

This page contains an overview of the Modern Slavery Act and supporting documents.

• From: Home Office
• Published: 10 June 2014
• Last updated: 30 July 2018 — See all updates

The Modern Slavery Act will give law enforcement the tools to fight modern slavery, ensure perpetrators can receive suitably severe punishments for these appalling crimes and enhance support and protection for victims. It received Royal Assent on Thursday 26 March 2015.

The act will:

• consolidate and simplify existing offences into a single act
• ensure that perpetrators receive suitably severe punishments for modern slavery crimes (including life sentences)
• enhance the court’s ability to put restrictions on individuals where it’s necessary to protect people from the harm caused by modern slavery offences
• create an independent anti-slavery commissioner to improve and better coordinate the response to modern slavery
• introduce a defence for victims of slavery and trafficking
• place a duty on the secretary of state to produce statutory guidance on victim identification and victim services
• enable the secretary of state to make regulations relating to the identification of and support for victims
• make provision for independent child trafficking advocates
• introduce a new reparation order to encourage the courts to compensate victims where assets are confiscated from perpetrators
• enable law enforcement to stop boats where slaves are suspected of being held or trafficked
• require businesses over a certain size to disclose each year what action they have taken to ensure there is no modern slavery in their business or supply chains

The Modern Slavery Act and its explanatory notes are available on the Parliament website.

Related documents

• Modern Slavery Act: related documents
  • 28 November 2014
  • Policy paper
• Response to pre-legislative scrutiny of the draft Modern Slavery Bill
  • 10 June 2014
  • Policy paper

Guidance for enforcement officers

• Modern Slavery Act 2015: maritime enforcement powers (England and Wales) code of practice
  • 14 March 2016
  • Guidance
• Slavery and Trafficking Prevention and Risk Orders
  • 30 April 2017
  • Statutory guidance

Announcements

• New powers to tackle slavery at sea
  • 8 August 2016
  • News story
• Modern slavery offenders face life in jail as Modern Slavery Act comes into force
  • 31 July 2015
  • News story

Independent reviews

• Modern Slavery Act 2015 review: one year on
  • 31 July 2016
  • Independent report

Consultations

• Modern slavery and supply chains
  • 29 July 2015
  • Consultation outcome

Published 10 June 2014
Last updated 30 July 2018 + show all updates

1. 30 July 2018

   New report on the economic and social costs of modern slavery.

2. 14 March 2016

   Maritime enforcement powers code of practice added.

3. 29 August 2014

   Factsheets published.

4. 10 June 2014

   First published.