Official Statistics

Annex: An analysis of NRM referrals and DtN reports for potential victims of modern slavery, 2023 to 2024

Published 6 March 2025

2024 was a record year for the number of referrals to both the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) and Duty to Notify (DtN) process. Overall, NRM referrals increased by 13% from 16,990 in the previous year to reach 19,125, whilst DtN reports increased by 14% from 4,929 to reach 5,598. A summary of the annual statistics can be found in the main bulletin, while this annex analyses the differences in NRM referrals and DtN reports for potential victims of modern slavery between 2023 and 2024.

1. National Referral Mechanism

1.1 Nationality

The top 5 nationalities remained the same but changed order in 2024 compared to the previous year. As with the previous year, UK nationals were the most commonly referred nationality in 2024 (4,411; 23%), followed by Albanian (2,492; 13%) and Vietnamese (2,153; 11%) nationals. Referrals from Eritrean nationals (1,702; 9%) overtook referrals from Sudanese nationals (1175; 6%) in 2024 to become the fourth most referred nationality (figure 1).

Despite a large fall in the number of referrals for Albanians in 2024, the total number of NRM referrals has increased by 2,135 from 2023 to 2024 (figure 2). This is due to large increases in the numbers of referrals for Vietnamese, Sudanese, and Eritrean nationals particularly in the latter quarters of 2024. Comparing the number of referrals for each of the top 5 nationalities between 2023 and 2024:

• UK nationals increased by 4% from 4,287 to 4,441
• Albanian nationals decreased by 39% from 4,055 to 2,492
• Vietnamese nationals increased by 118% from 988 to 2,153
• Eritrean nationals increased by 90% from 897 to 1,702
• Sudanese nationals increased by 25% from 940 to 1,175

Figure 1: The number of NRM referrals by year for the 10 most common nationalities in 2024

Source: SCA, IECA

Notes:

1. Does not include dual nationals.

Figure 2: The 10 largest changes in the number of NRM referrals by nationality from 2023 to 2024

Source: SCA, IECA

Notes:

1. Does not include dual nationals.
2. ‘Other’ includes less commonly reported nationalities.

UK

Overall, the number of referrals made per quarter for UK nationals has remained consistent over 2023 and 2024.

Figure 3: The number of NRM referrals for UK nationals

Source: SCA, IECA

Notes:

1. Does not include dual nationals.

The referrals received have been split by age, gender, and exploitation type of those being referred.

Key statistics:

• in both 2023 and 2024, the most common type of referral for UK nationals were male children who reported criminal exploitation, with 2,090 referrals made for this group in 2024, slightly less than 2,112 in 2023 (figure 4)
• this year saw the largest number of referrals for female children reporting sexual exploitation since the NRM began, increasing by 19% from 356 in 2023 to 423 in 2024
• this group also overtook the adult males referred for criminal exploitation, to become the second most common type of referral for UK nationals in 2024

Figure 4: The number of referrals for UK nationals by type for the 8 most common types in 2024

Source: SCA, IECA

Figure 5: The 10 largest changes in the number of NRM referrals for UK nationals by type from 2023 to 2024

Source: SCA, IECA

Notes:

1. ‘Other’ includes less commonly reported exploitation types and combinations.

Albanian

Overall, the number of referrals for Albanian nationals fell every quarter during the period of January 2023 to September 2024. Then there was a slight increase in the last quarter of 2024 (figure 6).

Figure 6: The number of NRM referrals for Albanian nationals

Source: SCA, IECA

Notes:

1. Does not include dual nationals.

Key statistics:

• the large fall in the number of Albanian referrals is driven by a fall in referrals across all groups (figure 8)
• referrals for adult male Albanians saw a large decrease, falling by 40% from 3,224 in 2023 to 2,002 in 2024
• whilst male adults reporting joint labour and criminal exploitation was the most common group for Albanian nationals in 2023, the number of referrals from this group fell by 48% to 489 in 2024 (figure 7)
• the numbers of referrals for adult males reporting labour exploitation (490) or reporting criminal exploitation (420) also fell when compared to 2023 (by 36% and 33% respectively)
• the number of adult female Albanian nationals reporting sexual exploitation also saw a decrease, falling by 45% from 329 in 2023 to 181 in 2024

Figure 7: The number of referrals for Albanian nationals by type for the 8 most common types in 2024

Source: SCA, IECA

Figure 8: The 10 largest changes in the number of NRM referrals for Albanian nationals by type from 2023 to 2024

Source: SCA, IECA

Notes:

1. ‘Other’ includes less commonly reported exploitation types and combinations.

Vietnamese

Overall, the number of referrals made per quarter for Vietnamese nationals increased over 2023 and 2024. The period from October to December 2024 saw the highest quarterly number of referrals for Vietnamese nationals since the introduction of the NRM, over twice the number in the period from October to December 2023 (figure 9).

Figure 9: The number of NRM referrals for Vietnamese nationals

Source: SCA, IECA

Notes:

1. Does not include dual nationals.

Key statistics:

• all the most common types of referrals for Vietnamese nationals saw an increase in 2024 when compared to the previous year (figure 11)
• the increase in the number of referrals for Vietnamese nationals from 2023 to 2024 has been primarily driven by a large increase in referrals for labour exploitation (figure 10)
• referrals for Vietnamese adult males reporting labour exploitation reached a record high in 2024, increasing by 232% from 136 in 2023 to 452 in 2024
• referrals for Vietnamese adult females citing labour exploitation increased by 234% from 44 in 2023 to 147 in 2024, while the number for Vietnamese male children increased by 123% from 83 to in 2023 to 185 in 2024
• the number of Vietnamese female adults reporting sexual exploitation increased by 177% from 43 in 2023 to 119 in 2024

Figure 10: The number of referrals for Vietnamese nationals by type for the 8 most common types in 2024

Source: SCA, IECA

Figure 11: The 10 largest changes in the number of NRM referrals for Vietnamese nationals by type from 2023 to 2024

Source: SCA, IECA

Notes:

1. ‘Other’ includes less commonly reported exploitation types and combinations.

Eritrean

The number of referrals for Eritrean nationals was relatively stable in 2023 and 2024 until the period from July to December 2024, where referrals for Eritrean nationals saw large increases in consecutive quarters (figure 12).

Figure 12: The number of NRM referrals for Eritrean nationals

Source: SCA, IECA

Notes:

1. Does not include dual nationals.

Key statistics:

• the increase in referrals for Eritrean nationals were primarily driven by a 113% increase in adult referrals from 687 in 2023 to 1,463 in 2024
• much of the total increase in the number of referrals for Eritrean nationals can be attributed solely to the increase in referrals for adult males reporting labour exploitation (figure 13)
• as with previous years, referrals for adult male Eritrean nationals claiming labour exploitation remained the most referred group, however they rose by 119%, from 302 in 2023 to 661 in 2024; this is the most referrals of this type in a single year ever
• the number of referrals for adult male Eritrean nationals where the exploitation type was not specified or unknown also saw a large increase, rising by 345% from 22 in 2023 to 98 in 2024

Figure 13: The number of referrals for Eritrean nationals by type for the 8 most common types in 2024

Source: SCA, IECA

Figure 14: The 10 largest changes in the number of NRM referrals for Eritrean nationals by type from 2023 to 2024

Source: SCA, IECA

Notes:

1. ‘Other’ includes less commonly reported exploitation types and combinations.

Sudanese

The number of referrals made per quarter in 2023 and 2024 for Sudanese nationals was relatively stable until the period from July to December 2024, where there was a large and sustained increase in the number of referrals for this nationality (figure 15).

Figure 15: The number of NRM referrals for Sudanese nationals

Source: SCA, IECA

Notes:

1. Does not include dual nationals.

Key statistics:

• the increase in referrals for Sudanese nationals was driven primarily by a 47% increase in the number of adult male referrals from 571 in 2023 to 842 in 2024 (figure 16)
• adult males represented 71% of all referrals made for Sudanese nationals in 2024
• adult male Sudanese nationals reporting labour exploitation increased by 51% from 346 in 2023 to 521 in 2024 to become the most preferred group for this nationality in 2024
• child male Sudanese nationals reporting labour exploitation saw a decrease, falling by 16% from 380 in 2023 to 318 in 2024, though this remained the second most referred group

Figure 16: The number of referrals for Sudanese nationals by type for the 7 most common types in 2024

Source: SCA, IECA

Figure 17: The 6 largest changes in the number of NRM referrals for Sudanese nationals by type from 2023 to 2024

Source: SCA, IECA

Notes:

1. ‘Other’ includes less commonly reported exploitation types and combinations.

1.2 Location of exploitation

In 2024, the number of referrals that cited exclusively overseas exploitation overtook the number of referrals for exclusively UK based exploitation for the first time since the NRM began. Comparing the number of referrals by location of exploitation between 2023 and 2024:

• referrals citing exploitation exclusively overseas saw the largest increase, rising by 38% from 6,049 to 8,250 (figure 18)
• referrals that cited exploitation exclusively in the UK remained relatively unchanged
• referrals reporting joint UK and overseas exploitation fell by 8% from 2,691 to 2,485

Figure 18: The number of referrals by location of exploitation

Source: SCA, IECA

UK

The number of referrals made for exploitation that occurred exclusively in the UK has remained relatively stable across both 2023 and 2024, with slightly higher numbers in the periods of January to March 2023 and October to December 2024.

Figure 19: The number of NRM referrals for those claiming exploitation exclusively in the UK

Source: SCA, IECA

Key statistics:

• adult Albanian nationals who reported joint criminal and labour exploitation was the group that saw the largest decrease in referrals for exclusive UK exploitation, falling by 33% from 422 in 2023 to 283 in 2024 (figure 20)
• in 2024, the number of referrals from adult Albanian nationals who reported only criminal or labour exploitation in the UK fell by 24% and 23% respectively when compared to the previous year
• the number of referrals from child UK nationals who reported sexual exploitation in the UK saw a notable increase, with referrals from this group increasing by 22% from 372 in 2023 to 455 in 2024

Figure 20: The 8 largest changes in the number of NRM referrals for exploitation reported exclusively in the UK from 2023 to 2024 by type

Source: SCA, IECA

Overseas

The number of referrals made for exploitation that occurred exclusively overseas increased from 2023 to 2024. There was a slight, sustained increase in the first half of 2024, before numbers rose sharply towards in the end of 2024.

Figure 21: The number of NRM referrals for those claiming exploitation exclusively overseas

Source: SCA, IECA

Key statistics:

• the increase in the number of potential victims reporting exploitation overseas was driven by rise the number who reported exclusive labour exploitation, with referrals from this group increasing by 49% from 2,990 in 2023 to 4,449 in 2024
• more specifically, the number of adults reporting labour exploitation exclusively overseas increased by 51% from 2,313 in 2023 to 3,842 in 2024
• Eritrean nationals who reported labour exploitation exclusively overseas saw an increase of 378 referrals from 2023 to 2024, while Vietnamese nationals who reported labour exploitation exclusively overseas saw a slightly smaller increase of 353 referrals from 2023 to 2024 (figure 22)

Figure 22: The 12 largest changes in the number of NRM referrals for exploitation reported exclusively overseas from 2023 to 2024 by type

Source: SCA, IECA

Notes:

1. ‘Other’ includes less commonly reported exploitation types and combinations.

UK and overseas

The number of referrals made that report exploitation both in the UK and overseas is much smaller than for exclusively UK-based or overseas exploitation. The quarterly numbers of referrals of this type have remained relatively consistent over 2023 and 2024, though they were slightly lower in the period of April 2024 to June 2024, resulting in a decrease from 2023 to 2024 overall.

Figure 23: The number of NRM referrals for those claiming exploitation in the UK and overseas

Source: SCA, IECA

Key statistics:

• the decrease in the number of referrals for exploitation both in the UK and overseas has been driven by a fall in the number of Albanian nationals reporting this type of exploitation; reports from Albanian nationals fell by 46% from 1,126 in 2023 to 611 in 2024
• more specifically, the overall number of Albanian nationals who reported joint labour and criminal exploitation fell by 48% from 388 in 2023 to 203 in 2024
• for just adult Albanian nationals there were significant decreases in the numbers of referrals of this type for labour and criminal, only labour and only criminal exploitation (figure 24)

Figure 24: The 8 largest changes in the number of NRM referrals for exploitation reported in the UK and overseas from 2023 to 2024 by type

Source: SCA, IECA

Notes:

1. ‘Other’ includes less commonly reported exploitation types and combinations.

UK counties

The top 5 counties where exploitation in the UK was most reported to have occurred remained the same in 2024 when compared to the previous year. As with previous years, Greater London was most reported, with 2,462 referrals citing exploitation occurring in this county. The next most reported counties were the West Midlands with 775 reports and Greater Manchester with 500 reports. West Yorkshire (441) was the fourth most reported location, followed by Essex (243). All these counties saw a fall in the number of reports when compared to the previous year:

• Greater London decreased by 14% from 2,849 to 2,462
• West Midlands decreased by 18% from 950 to 775
• Greater Manchester decreased by 26% from 675 to 500
• West Yorkshire decreased by 16% from 525 to 441
• Essex decreased by 16% from 289 to 243

While the top 5 counties where exploitation was reported all saw a fall in the number of reports, some counties saw a notable increase when compared to the previous year:

• South Yorkshire increased by 13% from 221 to 250
• Hampshire increased by 16% from 179 to 207
• East Yorkshire increased by 12% from 161 to 180
• Nottinghamshire increased by 17% from 150 to 175
• West Sussex increased by 22% from 90 to 110

Figure 25: The percentage change in the number of reports of exploitation in each UK county

Source: SCA, IECA

Notes:

1. Includes referrals which have reported exploitation in the UK, or a combination of the UK and overseas.
2. It is not advised to combine statistics for multiple counties as each referral may report multiple places of exploitation.
3. May not capture all places of exploitation if they are not recorded on referral forms.

Countries

In 2024, Libya was the country where overseas exploitation was most reported to have occurred (2,916), overtaking reports from Albania (1,202) who became the second most reported country having been first in the previous year. Vietnam was the third most reported country (971) followed by Sudan (774) and France (740). Comparing the number of reports of exploitation occurring in each of these countries between 2023 and 2024, reports from:

• Libya increased by 43% from 2,029 to 2,961
• Albania decreased by 42% from 2,085 to 1,202
• Vietnam increased by 112% from 457 to 971
• Sudan increased by 44% from 537 to 774
• France decreased by 1% from 749 to 740

Figure 26: The percentage change in the number of reports of exploitation by overseas country

Source: SCA, IECA

Notes:

1. Country borders do not necessarily reflect the UK Government’s official position.
2. Includes referrals which have reported exploitation overseas, or a combination of the UK and overseas.
3. It is not advised to combine statistics for multiple countries as referrals may report multiple places of exploitation.
4. May not capture all places of exploitation if they are not recorded on referral forms.

1.3 First responders

As with the previous year, government agencies made the largest proportion of total referrals (53%) in 2024, with 10,137 referrals made. Local authorities made 4,206 referrals in 2024, becoming the second most common first responder type in 2024, overtaking the number of referrals made by the police (3,822). Referrals from NGO and third sector organisations were least common (950). Only referrals from police forces saw a decrease when compared to the previous year. Comparing the number of referrals by first responder type between 2023 and 2024, referrals from:

• government agencies increased by 23% from 8,237 to 10,137
• local authorities increased by 7% from 3,929 to 4,206
• police forces decreased by 3% from 3,933 to 3,822
• NGO and third sector organisations increased by 9% from 874 to 950

Figure 27: The number of referrals by first responder type

Source: SCA, IECA

Government Agencies

The number of referrals made by government agencies increased from 2023 to 2024. Although referrals were stable during 2023 and the first half of 2024, in the latter half of 2024 quarterly referrals increased significantly, peaking in the period of October to December 2024.

Figure 28: The number of NRM referrals made by government agencies

Source: SCA, IECA

Notes:

1. ‘Other’ includes less commonly reported exploitation types and combinations.

Key statistics:

• the rise in the number of referrals by government agencies was driven by a 97% increase in the number of referrals made for Eritrean nationals (from 758 in 2023 to 1,492 in 2024) and a 201% increase in the number of referrals made for Vietnamese nationals (from 470 in 2023 to 1,414 in 2024)
• more specifically, referrals for Vietnamese nationals made by the UK Border Force increased by over tenfold from 38 in 2023 to 415 in 2024, while referrals for Vietnamese nationals made by UK Visas and Immigration increased by 179% from 287 to 800
• similarly, referrals for Eritrean nationals made by the UK Border Force increased by over 30-fold from 9 in 2023 to 308 in 2024, while referrals made by UK Visas and Immigration increased by 58% from 668 to 1,055
• there was a 41% increase in the number of referrals made by government agencies for those claiming exclusive overseas exploitation from 5,205 in 2023 to 7,349 in 2024

Figure 29: The 10 largest changes in the number of NRM referrals made by government agencies from 2023 to 2024 by type

Source: SCA, IECA

Local Authorities

There was a slight dip in the number of NRM referrals made by local authorities in the period of April to September 2023. This was then followed by a gradual quarter-on-quarter increase in the number of referrals in all but one quarter of 2024. This has resulted in a slight increase in the number of referrals made by local authorities from 2023 to 2024.

Figure 30: The number of NRM referrals made by government agencies

Source: SCA, IECA

Key statistics:

• the rise in the number of referrals by government agencies was driven by a 10% increase in the number of referrals for UK nationals (from 2,301 in 2023 to 2,525 in 2024)
• more specifically, referrals for child UK nationals made by local authorities increased by 11% from 2,151 in 2023 to 2,382 in 2024

Figure 31: The 10 largest changes in the number of NRM referrals made by local authorities from 2023 to 2024 by type

Source: SCA, IECA

Notes:

1. ‘Other’ includes less commonly reported exploitation types and combinations.

Police

The quarterly numbers of NRM referrals made by the police have remained stable over 2023 and 2024.

Figure 32: The number of NRM referrals made by the police

Source: SCA, IECA

Key statistics:

• there was a large decrease in referrals made for Albanian nationals from police forces, falling by 33% from 509 in 2023 to 341 in 2024
• more specifically, the number of referrals made by police for adult Albanians reporting labour and criminal exploitation fell by 41%, from 180 in 2023 to 107 in 2024; similarly for adult Albanians reporting criminal exploitation, police referrals fell by 28%, from 210 to 151 (figure 33)
• there was also a large decrease in the number of police referrals for UK national children claiming criminal exploitation. In 2023 there were 806 referrals of this type made by the police; this fell to 701 in 2024, a decrease of 13% (figure 33)

Figure 33: The 10 largest changes in the number of NRM referrals made by police from 2023 to 2024 by type

Source: SCA, IECA

Notes:

1. ‘Other’ includes less commonly reported exploitation types and combinations.

NGOs and Third Sector

The quarterly numbers of NRM referrals made by NGOs and Third Sector organisations have remained stable over 2023 and 2024.

Figure 34: The number of NRM referrals made by NGOs and Third Sector organisations

Source: SCA, IECA

Key Statistics:

• overall, there was only a very small change in the number of NRM referrals made by NGO and Third Sector organisations from 2023 to 2024; the nationality that saw the largest percentage increase in referrals was Bangladeshi, increasing by 330% from 10 to 33; the nationality that saw the largest total increase in referrals was Eritrean, increasing from 60 to 118 referrals (97%)
• referrals made for Albanian nationals decreased significantly from 110 in 2023 to 65 in 2024, a decrease of 41%
• when looking at types, referrals for adult Bangladeshi nationals reporting labour exploitation increased the most, from just 2 referrals in 2023 to 31 in 2024 (figure 35)

Figure 35: The 7 largest changes in the number of NRM referrals made by NGOs and Third Sector organisations from 2023 to 2024 by type

Source: SCA, IECA

Notes:

1. ‘Other’ includes less commonly reported exploitation types and combinations.

2. Duty to Notify

2.1 Nationality

In 2024, Eritrean nationals were the most reported nationality (892), having been the second most reported nationality in the previous year. Reports for Vietnamese nationals saw a large increase, becoming the second most reported nationality (776), up from the sixth most common nationality in the previous year. Albanian nationals (436) were the third most common in 2024, having been the most common nationality in the previous year. Sudanese (419) was the fourth most reported nationality while UK (386) was the fifth. Despite a slight increase in the number of Chinese reported nationals in 2024, reports for Chinese nationals fell from the fifth most common nationality in 2023 to sixth in 2024.

Despite a large fall in the number of reports for Albanians in 2024, the total number of DtN reports has increased by 669 from 2023 to 2024 (figure 37). This is due to large increases in the numbers of reports for Vietnamese and Eritrean nationals. Comparing the number of reports for each of the top 5 nationalities between 2023 and 2024:

• Eritrean nationals increased by 54% from 580 to 892
• Vietnamese nationals increased by 163% from 295 to 776
• Albanian nationals decreased by 43% from 764 to 436
• Sudanese nationals decreased by 22% from 538 to 419
• UK nationals decreased by 2% from 393 to 386

Figure 36: The number of DtN reports by year for the 10 most common nationalities in 2024

Source: SCA, IECA

Notes:

1. Does not include dual nationals.

Figure 37: The 10 largest changes in the number of DtN reports by nationality from 2023 to 2024

Source: SCA, IECA

Notes:

1. Does not include dual nationals.
2. ‘Other’ includes less commonly reported nationalities.

Eritrean

Reports for Eritrean nationals increased significantly in the latter half of 2024, in line with the increase in NRM referrals for Eritrean nationals. Over 5 times as many reports for Eritrean nationals were made in the last quarter of 2024 compared to the last quarter of 2023, when reports were especially low.

Figure 38: The number of DtN reports made for Eritrean nationals

Source: SCA, IECA

Key statistics:

• the increase in the number of reports for Eritrean nationals is driven primarily by a rise in the number reporting labour exploitation, with reports from this group increasing by 61% from 357 in 2023 to 576 in 2024
• more specifically, the number of reports for Eritrean males reporting labour exploitation increased by 64% from 324 in 2023 to 530 in 2024

Figure 39: The 5 largest changes in the number of DtN reports for Eritrean nationals from 2023 to 2024 by gender and exploitation type

Source: SCA, IECA

Notes:

1. ‘Other’ includes less commonly reported exploitation types and combinations.

Vietnamese

Overall, the number of DtN reports made per quarter for Vietnamese nationals increased from Q1 (January to March) 2023 to Q2 (April to June) 2024, before stabilising in the latter half of 2024.

Figure 40: The number of DtN reports made for Vietnamese nationals

Source: SCA, IECA

Key statistics:

• the increase in the number of reports for Vietnamese nationals is driven primarily by a rise in the number reporting labour exploitation, with reports from this group increasing by 307% from 107 in 2023 to 436 in 2024
• both Vietnamese males and female saw an increase in the number reported for potential labour exploitation, with the number of Vietnamese males reported increasing by 294% from 83 in 2023 to 327 in 2024 and the number of Vietnamese females reported increasing by 354% from 24 in 2023 to 109 in 2024
• another group was Vietnamese females reporting sexual exploitation, which increased by 295% from 21 in 2023 to 83 in 2024

Figure 41: The 6 largest changes in the number of DtN reports for Vietnamese nationals from 2023 to 2024 by gender and exploitation type

Source: SCA, IECA

Notes:

1. ‘Other’ includes less commonly reported exploitation types and combinations.

Albanian

The number of DtN reports made for Albanian nationals has decreased significantly since the first quarter of 2023 and was especially low in Q3 (July to September) 2024.

Figure 42: The number of DtN reports made for Albanian nationals

Source: SCA, IECA

Key statistics:

• the decrease in the number of reports for Albanian nationals is driven by a fall in the number of males, with reports from this group falling by 46% from 645 in 2023 to 350 in 2024
• the number of reports for female Albanian nationals fell by 29% from 119 in 2023 to 85 in 2024
• reports for Albanian nationals reporting criminal exploitation, joint labour and criminal exploitation, and labour exploitation all fell in 2024 when compared to the previous year (by 43%, 60% and 49% respectively)

Figure 43: The 4 largest changes in the number of DtN reports for Albanian nationals from 2023 to 2024 by gender and exploitation type

Source: SCA, IECA

Notes:

1. ‘Other’ includes less commonly reported exploitation types and combinations.

Sudanese

The number of DtN reports for Sudanese nationals fluctuated throughout 2023 and 2024. There was a peak in Q3 (July to September) 2023 and a particularly low period from October 2023 to June 2024.

Figure 44: The number of DtN reports made for Sudanese nationals

Source: SCA, IECA

Key statistics:

• the decrease in the number of reports for Sudanese nationals is driven primarily by a fall in the number of males reported for potential labour exploitation, with reports from this group decreasing by 29% from 456 in 2023 to 325 in 2024

Figure 45: The 2 largest changes in the number of DtN reports for Sudanese nationals from 2023 to 2024 by gender and exploitation type

Source: SCA, IECA

Notes:

1. ‘Other’ includes less commonly reported exploitation types and combinations.

UK

The number of DtN reports for UK nationals remained stable in 2023 and 2024, fluctuating around the average quarterly value of 97.

Figure 46: The number of DtN reports made for UK nationals

Source: SCA, IECA

Key statistics:

• reports for female UK nationals decreased by 26% from 151 in 2023 to 111 in 2024, while reports for male UK nationals increased by 11% from 241 in 2023 to 273 in 2024
• overall, the number of reports for UK nationals fell only slightly from 2023 to 2024

Figure 47: The 6 largest changes in the number of DtN reports for UK nationals from 2023 to 2024 by gender and exploitation type

Source: SCA, IECA

Notes:

1. ‘Other’ includes less commonly reported exploitation types and combinations.

2.2 First responders

There were increases in DtN reports from government agencies in 2024 compared to 2023, whereas those from local authorities, police, and NGO and third sector organisations were similar in volume to the previous year. Comparing the number of referrals by exploitation type between 2023 and 2024, referrals from:

• government agencies increased by 20% from 3,429 to 4,121
• police decreased by 4% from 1,281 to 1,233
• local authorities increased by 9% from 211 to 229
• NGO and third sector increased by 114% from 7 to 15

Figure 48: The number of DtN reports by first responder type

Source: SCA, IECA

Government agencies drove the overall rise in DtN notifications, which accounted for 74% (4,121) of all reports received in 2024, a higher proportion (70%; 3,429) than in 2023. The number of males reported by this first responder type increased by 16% from 2,570 to 2,994, while those for females saw a greater percentage increase of 31% from 857 to 1,123. More specifically, reports for females who cited labour exploitation rose by 62% to 250 from 154, while reports for females who cited sexual exploitation increased by 33% to 386 from 291.

Figure 49: The 8 largest changes in the number of DtN reports made by government agencies from 2023 to 2024 by type of report

Source: SCA, IECA

Notes:

1. ‘Other’ includes less commonly reported exploitation types and combinations.