Statistics for the National Referral Mechanism in the UK, for fourth quarter in 2024 (October to December) includes a summary and breakdown of the number of potential victims of modern slavery referred into the (NRM) or via the Duty to Notify (DtN) process.

• 5,540 potential victims of modern slavery were referred to the Home Office from October to December 2024, representing a 17% increase compared to the previous quarter (4,755) and a 34% increase from October to December 2023 (4,131)
• the number of referrals received this quarter is the highest in a quarter since the NRM began in 2009, overtaking the record in the previous quarter
• the most common nationalities referred this quarter were UK (20%; 1,113), Eritrean (11%; 632) and Albanian (11%; 605)
• this was the highest number of referrals for Eritrean nationals since the NRM began, overtaking the record in the previous quarter
• 5,733 reasonable grounds and 5,243 conclusive grounds decisions were issued this quarter; of these, 49% of reasonable grounds and 61% of conclusive grounds decisions were positive
• there were 17,168 cases which have been issued a positive reasonable grounds decision and are awaiting a conclusive grounds decision, as of the end of December 2024
• the Home Office received 1,800 reports of adult potential victims via the DtN process, the highest in a quarter since the NRM began in 2015 and a 19% increase from the previous record in the period from July to September 2024 (1,501)

 

See the full Home Office report here.