VE Day: Council duties under the Armed Forces Covenant
As we mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day, Geoff Wild, Legal & Governance Consultant, looks at the duties of councils under the Armed Forces Covenant.
Council’s anti-slavery policy used to fight solar farm
12/05/2025 Locals opposed to a solar panel project on the Hampshire-Berkshire border are attempting to stop it by arguing it could breach anti-slavery commitments. |
British boys most at risk of modern slavery in UK
12/02/2024 People suffering criminal exploitation, often young British boys, must be recognised as victims of modern slavery, a new report has argued. |
Reports of exploitation in care sector surge
23/10/2023 There has been a dramatic rise in the number of workers in the care sector contacting a national helpline for victims of modern slavery, charity reveals. |
Shedding light on modern slavery statements
10/08/2023 Gabriella Jimenez, communications manager, Shiva Foundation discusses the importance of modern slavery statements and how councils can effectively write one. |
Modern slavery concerns in care sector increase
16/05/2023 The number of potential victims of modern slavery in the UK more than doubled last year, with a particularly sharp increase in the care sector, data reveal. |
Labour market exploitation: How do you know where to look?
15/12/2022 Nottingham Trent University researchers Rich Pickford, Ian Clark and James Hunter look at how local authorities can identify labour exploitation. |
Children’s charity raises alarm over modern slavery
12/08/2022 A charity has called for action as figures show record numbers of children are being referred to the authorities as suspected victims of modern slavery. |
Councils need support to protect refugees from exploitation, experts say
29/04/2022 The Government has been urged to take ‘urgent measures’ to support councils in their response to the Ukrainian refugee crisis in order to tackle exploitation. |
Stopping child exploitation
06/04/2022 Iryna Pona, policy and impact manager at The Children’s Society, looks at the issue of children and modern slavery. |
Charity calls for ‘safeguarding measures’ to protect Ukrainian refugees
16/03/2022 Human trafficking experts have urged the Government to ensure that the Homes for Ukraine scheme includes ‘rigorous safeguarding measures’ to protect refugees. |
System 'failing' thousands of children affected by modern slavery
05/10/2021 Thousands of children affected by modern slavery are being 'overlooked and forgotten' by the system, a charity has said. |
New framework for public health approach to modern slavery launched
03/06/2021 A new framework for a public health approach to tackling modern slavery has been made available for local authorities to access. |
Figures show rise in sexual and criminal exploitation under lockdown
07/04/2021 Criminal and sexual exploitation has risen ‘dramatically’ during the pandemic, new data has warned today. |
Crack down on abuse of modern slavery safeguards
22/03/2021 Local authorities will receive training to help frontline staff identify genuine victims of modern slavery. |
Councils to ‘regularly report’ on efforts to fight modern slavery
22/09/2020 Local authorities and other public bodies which have a budget of £36m or more will be required to regularly report on the steps they have taken to prevent modern slavery in their supply chains. |
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Framework for referring child victims of trafficking 'not working' warns commissioner
12/08/2020 The National Referral Mechanism (NRM) for identifying child victims of trafficking is 'not working', the anti-slavery commissioner has warned. |
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Councils call for adequate funding to tackle modern slavery
30/07/2020 Council leaders have warned children's services are under significant pressure after the number of child modern slavery referrals increased by 1,400% in five years. |
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Jenrick unveils £76m funding for ‘most vulnerable’
04/05/2020 The communities secretary has announced £76m funding to support the ‘most vulnerable’ in society during the pandemic. |
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Councils warn moves to license hand car washes must be fully funded
14/02/2020 Councils have warned that any attempt to licence hand car washes must be fully funded by license fees. |
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Tackling and preventing modern slavery and human trafficking
10/02/2020 Tiffany Cloynes and Julia Shannon outline the opportunities local authorities have to tackle and prevent modern slavery from occurring in their areas |
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Brexit threatens fight against modern slavery
18/10/2019 The commissioner appointed to tackle modern slavery has called for a stronger focus on prevention and warned that Brexit could undermine efforts to stop slavery. |
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Councils warn about ‘spiralling’ rate of child modern slavery referrals
18/10/2019 Councils have warned the number of child victims of modern slavery referred for support has risen by 800% in the past five years. |
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Slavery in supply chains
20/09/2019 Tiffany Cloynes and Clare Hardy explore what responsibility councils may have in the future to eliminate slavery and human trafficking in their supply chains. |
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London Councils welcome drug dealers being jailed in ‘landmark’ slavery case
15/05/2019 Three ‘county lines’ drug dealers have been sent to prison in a landmark case using the Modern Slavery Act. |
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Two arrested in Blackpool slavery investigation
03/04/2019 An investigation into modern slavery and human trafficking supported by Blackpool Council has resulted in two arrests. |
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A lack of police training ‘hinders’ slavery convictions, charity says
26/03/2019 The response of the police to modern slavery victims ‘hinders’ the prosecution of traffickers and exploiters, a charity has claimed. |
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‘County Lines’ major driver behind rise in slavery reporting
20/03/2019 The number of potential victims of trafficking and modern slavery reported to the authorities has risen by more than 80% in two years, new data reveals. |
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Modern slavery referrals by councils 'spiral'
18/03/2019 A sharp increase in the number of suspected cases of modern slavery is having a ‘huge impact’ on council services, town hall chiefs have warned. |
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One in four trafficked children reported missing from care
21/12/2018 Nearly a quarter of trafficked children were reported as going missing from care in 2017, a new study has revealed. |
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More than 40 councils sign anti-slavery pledge
19/10/2018 A total of 42 councils have signed a charter aimed at eradicating modern slavery in their supply chains. |
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‘Transparency map’ launched to tackle modern slavery
10/10/2018 A new website promises to help councils check if any of their suppliers are using modern slaves. |
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Whitehall announces £2m unit to protect vulnerable children from gangs
29/08/2018 A national response unit designed to offer local authorities tailored support to help children at risk of exploitation by criminal gangs is due to be launched next year. |
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Manchester CC ‘unanimously’ approves charter against slavery
12/07/2018 Manchester City Council has called on the Government to provide more support for victims of modern slavery. |
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Bristol’s lord mayor removes slave trader’s portrait from office
20/06/2018 A 316-year-old portrait of a prominent slave trader, responsible for the deaths of thousands, has been removed from the lord mayor of Bristol’s office. |
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Councils to share £19m to boost integration
11/06/2018 Councils in England will receive £19m to help ease pressures on housing, education and health services due to recent migration. |
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Church launches anti-slavery app
04/06/2018 Council chiefs have endorsed a new app designed to help gather information about modern slavery in car washes. |
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British citizens ‘largest nationality’ recorded in slavery figures
27/03/2018 British citizens are for the first time the largest nationality recorded as potential victims in the national trafficking and modern slavery figures. |
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Councillors pledge to eradicate modern slavery from their supply chains
23/03/2018 Labour and Co-operative councillors have pledged to ensure none of the money they spend on procuring goods and services inadvertently ends up supporting exploitation or trafficking. |
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Cornwall Council helps slavery victims after police raid
09/02/2018 Cornwall Council is providing welfare and support services for 14 people following a police raid on a flower-picking farm. |
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Council chiefs call for ‘cross-sector’ approach to fighting slavery
17/01/2018 Local authority leaders have called for a ‘coherent, cross-sector’ approach to tackling modern slavery as new figures reveal an increase of almost 50% in the number of people referred as potential victims. |
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Number of modern slavery victims 'underestimated' warns crime agency
11/08/2017 There are many more victims of modern slavery and human trafficking in the UK than first thought, according to the National Crime Agency (NCA). |
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Guidance for spotting signs of domestic slavery published
21/04/2017 The publication of a new resource to help health visitors identify the signs of domestic slavery has been announced. |
