THE number of potential victims of modern slavery had reached a record level, according to official data published today.

A total of 4,758 potential victims were referred to the Home Office between July and September, marking a 10 per cent increase on the previous quarter and a 15 per cent rise compared with the same period in 2023.

The Home Office said the number of referrals was the highest since the national referral mechanism (NRM) began in 2009.

The previous record was 4,742 referrals between January and March 2023.

In Britain, victims of slavery and human trafficking must be assessed under the mechanism for them to access support and gain formal recognition of their circumstances.

Nearly a quarter of referrals were of British nationals, with Albanians and Vietnamese each accounting for 11 per cent.

Among the British nationals referred, 74 per cent were children.

In general, almost three-quarters of the adults were male.

Labour exploitation was the most commonly reported type of exploitation among adults, while children were most often referred for criminal exploitation.

Males were most often reported in connection with criminal or labour exploitation, while suspected sexual exploitation was the most common reason among females, making up 34 per cent of referrals.

An Anti-Slavery International spokesperson called the increase “extremely concerning” and warned that the number was “very likely to be a huge underestimation.

They told the Morning Star: “The Global Slavery Index suggests there are over 120,000 people living in modern slavery in the UK at any given time.

“We really urge the UK government to refocus its work on modern slavery so that safeguarding and support are placed at the heart of initiatives that tackle modern slavery so that people can recover in safety and dignity.”

Avril Sharp of modern slavery charity Kalayaan said: “There is every indication that the numbers will continue to rise.

“For the past two years, Kalayaan, the UK’s oldest non-statutory first-responder organisation, has been urging the government to review this given the serious risks survivors face in the absence of a functioning first responder system.

“Without being able to access the NRM via a first responder, survivors remain at unacceptable risk of further harm, including being retrafficked.”

Last month, Safeguarding Minister Jess Phillips pledged to eradicate the backlog of modern slavery cases within two years “to give victims the clarity and peace of mind they need to move on with their lives.”