Asylum & Humanitarian Protection
If you have been exploited through force, threats, deception or coercion, you may be a victim of modern slavery or human trafficking, and the law offers you protection. In the UK, potential victims are identified through the National Referral Mechanism, a process that can lead to specialist support, protection from removal while your case is considered, and in some cases permission to stay. Many people who have been trafficked have also fled danger at home, so a trafficking case and an asylum claim often run together. You do not refer yourself into the system, but we can help you reach a first responder and put your case forward with care. We treat every conversation in confidence and check whether you qualify for Legal Aid.
At a glance
What it covers
Slavery, servitude, forced or compulsory labour, and human trafficking, as set out in the Modern Slavery Act 2015.
How you are identified
Through the National Referral Mechanism: a Reasonable Grounds decision, then a Conclusive Grounds decision.
Protection and leave
Support and protection from removal while your case is decided, and possible temporary permission to stay if you are confirmed as a victim.
Legal Aid available
Immigration and asylum advice in trafficking cases may be covered by Legal Aid. We check your eligibility when you first contact us.
Modern slavery is a serious crime that includes slavery, servitude, forced or compulsory labour, and human trafficking. A victim is a person who has been exploited through force, threats, deception, debt or coercion. Human trafficking is one form of modern slavery, and involves arranging or facilitating someone's travel with a view to exploiting them.
Exploitation can take many forms, including forced labour, sexual exploitation, domestic servitude, forced criminality such as cannabis cultivation, and child exploitation. It can happen to people of any nationality, including British citizens, and the exploitation may have taken place in the UK, abroad, or on the journey here.
In the UK, potential victims are identified through the National Referral Mechanism. Being recognised as a victim is not an immigration status in itself, but it can open the door to support, protection from removal while your case is considered, and, in some cases, permission to stay. Because many people who have been trafficked also fear harm in their home country, a trafficking case and a protection claim are often dealt with together.
You may be a victim of modern slavery or human trafficking, and this page may be for you, if any of the following apply.
The National Referral Mechanism, or NRM, is the UK framework for identifying and supporting potential victims of modern slavery. These are the key stages.
Referral by a first responder
You cannot refer yourself into the NRM. A first responder, such as the police, a local authority or certain charities, makes the referral with your consent. We can advise you, help gather your account, and work with an appropriate first responder so that the referral is made properly.
Reasonable Grounds decision
The Home Office aims to decide, usually within five working days, whether there are reasonable grounds to believe you are a victim. This is a lower threshold than final proof. A positive decision gives you a recovery period of at least 30 days, with support, and protects you from removal while your case continues.
Conclusive Grounds decision
At the second stage, the Home Office decides, on the balance of probabilities, whether you are a victim of modern slavery. A positive conclusive grounds decision confirms your victim status and is the gateway to longer support and, in some cases, permission to stay.
Support and protection from removal
While you are in the NRM you can normally access specialist support, including safe accommodation, financial help and access to healthcare, and you are generally protected from removal until a decision is made on your case.
Permission to stay and other routes
A confirmed victim may be considered for temporary permission to stay under section 65 of the Nationality and Borders Act 2022, usually for up to 30 months, where it is needed for recovery, to seek compensation, or to help a police investigation. This is not automatic, and it is separate from any asylum or human rights claim.
This area of law changes often, and several parts of it are in flux. As at June 2026, the Home Office has paused some decisions on temporary permission to stay on the recovery ground, and has again paused public order disqualification decisions, so timescales and outcomes can shift. Temporary permission to stay is not a route to settlement. The points on this page are a general guide, correct as at June 2026, and are not legal advice on your case.
We talk through what has happened to you, at your pace and in confidence, and explain how the National Referral Mechanism works. We help you reach an appropriate first responder so that a referral can be made properly.
We help you set out your account clearly and gather supporting evidence, such as medical and psychological reports, country information and letters of support, so that the competent authority has what it needs to make a fair decision.
A trafficking case rarely stands alone. We advise on running an asylum claim alongside it where you fear harm at home, on applying for temporary permission to stay, and on challenging a negative decision by reconsideration or judicial review.
If you are recognised as a victim, we advise on permission to stay, on any asylum decision and appeal, and on routes to compensation. We explain clearly what each option means for your future in the UK.
The NRM referral itself is made by a first responder, not by a solicitor, and is not a legal cost to you. The legal advice and representation that surrounds a trafficking case, including any asylum or human rights claim, an application for permission to stay, and any challenge to a negative decision, may be within the scope of Legal Aid in England and Wales, and we hold a Legal Aid contract for asylum work. Whether you qualify depends on a financial assessment of your means and the merits of your case. We check your eligibility for Legal Aid when you first contact us. Where Legal Aid is not available to you, we explain clearly and in writing what any private fee would be before any work begins. There is no charge to find out where you stand.
Modern slavery is the umbrella term, set out in the Modern Slavery Act 2015. It covers slavery, servitude, forced or compulsory labour, and human trafficking. Human trafficking is one form of modern slavery, and involves arranging or facilitating a person's movement so that they can be exploited. A person can be a victim without ever having crossed a border.
The National Referral Mechanism, or NRM, is the UK framework for identifying and supporting potential victims of modern slavery. A first responder refers you with your consent. The Home Office then makes a Reasonable Grounds decision, usually within five working days, and later a Conclusive Grounds decision on the balance of probabilities.
Generally no. Once you have a positive Reasonable Grounds decision, you are usually protected from removal while your case is being decided, and you can access specialist support during your recovery period. There are some exceptions, so it is important to get advice early about how the rules apply to your situation.
A positive Conclusive Grounds decision confirms you as a victim of modern slavery. Support can continue, and you may be considered for temporary permission to stay, usually for up to 30 months, where it is needed for your recovery, to seek compensation, or to assist an investigation. It is not granted automatically and it is not a route to settlement.
A negative Reasonable Grounds or Conclusive Grounds decision can often be challenged. You may ask the decision maker to reconsider, or in some cases apply for judicial review. Where you would face serious harm on return, an Article 3 human rights claim may also be relevant. We review the decision and advise on the strongest next step.
Yes, and the two often go together. Many people who have been trafficked also fear persecution or serious harm in their home country, for example a risk of being re-trafficked. A trafficking case and an asylum claim are assessed under different rules, but they can be pursued at the same time, and the evidence often overlaps.
Often, yes. Immigration and asylum advice for victims of modern slavery is within the scope of Legal Aid in England and Wales, and we hold a Legal Aid contract for asylum work. Whether you qualify depends on your financial circumstances and the merits of your case. We assess your eligibility when you first contact us, at no charge to you.
Last updated: June 2026.
