4th Special Report - Victims of modern slavery: Government Response to the Committee’s Twelfth Report of Session 2016–17

This is the government's response, published 18 December 2017.

Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.

The Government welcomes the Committee's report and says it shares the aim of tailored support for victims, but does not accept the recommendations on automatic leave to remain, an exemption from the Habitual Residence Test, or benefits on a positive conclusive grounds decision.

• On automatic one year's leave to remain, the Government "does not accept" the recommendation, saying a blanket policy "risks incentivising individuals to make false trafficking claims". Discretionary leave is granted where exceptional circumstances justify it.
• It is "more than trebling" support after a conclusive grounds decision, increasing it "from 14 to 45 days".
• On re-trafficking, the National Crime Agency will "introduce a new system" to record referrals showing re-trafficking, though the Government says the data "will therefore not be conclusive".
• On benefit conditionality, it "agrees that many victims of modern slavery have been subject to traumatic experiences" but says "an automatic easement would not be the right approach"; DWP says a blanket sanctions exemption "may not be the best way" to support each individual.

Read the government's response ↗ Report an error