Open call for evidence

Glossary

Published 16 July 2025

The identification system involves lots of technical terms and so we have prepared a glossary to explain some of the terms used within this call for evidence. You may wish to have the glossary open in another window so you can refer to it as you complete the call for evidence.

Term	Definition
Conclusive Grounds	Conclusive Grounds decisions are made to determine whether ‘on the balance of probabilities’ there are sufficient grounds to decide that the individual is a victim of modern slavery.
Competent Authority	One of the competent authorities making decisions regarding modern slavery cases referred to the National Referral Mechanism; in the UK this is the Single Competent Authority (SCA) and the Immigration Enforcement Competent Authority (IECA).
Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme (CICS)	A government scheme that may provide financial compensation to people who have been physically or mentally harmed as a result of a violent crime, including modern slavery.
Decision-making	Decision-making in this Call for Evidence refers to a process followed by caseworkers in the Single Competent Authority (SCA) and Immigration Enforcement Competent Authority (IECA) and by multi-agency panels in the local authority areas involved in the devolved decision-making pilot on whether or not an individual is a potential victim/victim of modern slavery for the purpose of the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) – wherever in the UK a potential victim is identified. They decide whether the individual receives a positive or negative Reasonable Grounds (RG) or Conclusive Grounds (CG) in line with the Modern Slavery Statutory Guidance.
Duty to Notify	As specified in section 52 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015, specified public authorities in England and Wales have a statutory duty to notify the Home Office when they come across potential victims of modern slavery. This duty is discharged by either referring a child or consenting adult potential victim into the NRM, or by notifying the Home Office via the Duty to Notify process if an adult victim does not consent to enter the NRM.
Temporary Permission to Stay for Victims of Human Trafficking or Slavery	A type of immigration status that may be granted depending on individual circumstances. It allows someone to stay in the UK for a limited time, set out in the Immigration Rules Appendix: Temporary Permission to Stay for Victims of Human Trafficking or Slavery. As set out in section 65 of the Nationality and Borders Act 2022, this leave can be granted for specific reasons subject to certain conditions, if leave is considered necessary for the purpose of; assisting the person in their recovery from any physical or psychological harm arising from the relevant exploitation; enabling the person to seek compensation in respect of the relevant exploitation; or enabling the person to co-operate with a public authority in connection with an investigation or criminal proceedings in respect of the relevant exploitation.
Entitlements	The rights, services, and forms of support that a person is eligible to receive after receiving a Reasonable Grounds (RG) and/or Conclusive Grounds (CG) decision through the National Referral Mechanism (NRM). These entitlements are grounded in legal and policy frameworks and are intended to support recovery from any physical, psychological or social harm arising from the conduct which resulted in the positive reasonable grounds decision in question.
European Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (ECAT)	An international convention to which the UK is a signatory. It provides minimum standards of how victims of trafficking should be protected and supported, including the right to a recovery period and support after a positive decision. The UK’s domestic law complies with ECAT.
Exploitation	To be recognised as a victim of slavery for the purposes of support, under current legislation and guidance, someone must meet the definitions set out in the Slavery and Human Trafficking (Definition of Victim) Regulations 2022. This includes being subjected to slavery, servitude or forced or compulsory labour, and/or someone who’s travel is arranged using the defined methods, with a view to the individual being exploited. Exploitation includes: Slavery, servitude or forced or compulsory labour Prostitution by another person or sexual exploitation Subject to force, threats or deception designed to induce that person to provide a service or benefit of any kind to another person Forced labour or services Forced criminality Removal of organs (also known as organ harvesting)
First Responder Organisation	An authority that is authorised to refer a potential victim of modern slavery into the National Referral Mechanism. A full list of First Responders is available here. There are different cohorts of First Responders in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
First Responder	A member at a First Responder Organisation who has a responsibility for discharging one or more of the functions of the First Responder Organisation and who has been trained to discharge those functions.
Modern Slavery Indicators	Signs of modern slavery. These might include behaviours, beliefs and experiences that a potential victim is displaying or explaining to a First Responder which cause them to make a referral on the individual’s behalf into the National Referral Mechanism. Competent authority staff, while not First Responders, should be aware of the indicators to identify these indicators in referrals.
Modern Slavery or Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking (MSHT)	Modern Slavery refers to both human trafficking and slavery, servitude, and forced or compulsory labour. In human trafficking cases, exploitation can take many forms, including: sexual exploitation, forced labour, slavery, servitude, forced criminality and removal of organs.
National Referral Mechanism (NRM)	The UK’s system for identifying and supporting victims of modern slavery and human trafficking. People are referred into the NRM by First Responders (like police or support workers), and individual cases are assessed in two stages: Reasonable Grounds and Conclusive Grounds.
Person with lived experience / survivor / victim	A person who has experienced modern slavery first hand. Evidence suggests that different groups have different preferred terms for describing those who have been exploited in modern slavery. This Call for Evidence uses the term ‘victim’ in many places given this is the term used in relevant legislation such as the Modern Slavery Act 2015.
Potential victim	An individual who is suspected of being a victim of modern slavery.  They may have received a positive Reasonable Grounds decision but will not yet have received a Conclusive Grounds decision from the competent authorities.
Reasonable Grounds	Reasonable grounds decisions are made where there are reasonable grounds to believe, based on all available general and specific evidence but falling short of conclusive proof, that a person is a victim of modern slavery.
Statutory Guidance	The Modern Slavery: statutory guidance for England and Wales (under s49 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015) and non-statutory guidance for Scotland and Northern Ireland is available here. This is guidance provided to public authorities and others about: (a) the sorts of things which indicate that a person may be a victim of modern slavery; (b) arrangements for providing assistance and support to people where there are reasonable grounds to believe they are victims of modern slavery; (c) arrangements for determining whether there are reasonable grounds to believe that a person is a victim of modern slavery.
The Slavery and Human Trafficking (Definition of Victim) Regulations 2022 (“the 2022 Victim Definition Regulations”)	This refers to Regulations that define the terms “victim of slavery” and “victim of human trafficking” for the purposes of Part 5 of the Nationality and Borders Act 2022. They are published at: The Slavery and Human Trafficking (Definition of Victim) Regulations 2022
Voluntary Returns Scheme	A government programme that helps people who want to return to their home country. It may offer help with travel and resettlement and is sometimes used by people who have been through the NRM.