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Guidance

Modern slavery victims: referral

Guidance on referring potential victims of modern slavery/human trafficking to the national referral mechanism.

Updates to this page

From:
Home Office and UK Visas and Immigration
Published:
5 August 2010
Last updated:
18 September 2026
Show all updates

  1. Updated information on data rights in the 'Privacy information notice: national referral mechanism' guidance.

  2. Replaced contact details for the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority with the Fair Work Agency.

  3. Updated the 'Privacy information notice: national referral mechanism' guidance to include revised details on call centre services and new information on transitioning to adult support.

  4. Removed NSPCC (CTAC) from the list of first responder organisations in the National referral mechanism guidance: adult (England and Wales) guidance.

  5. Added a new page 'Request your data from the Single Competent Authority’

  6. Removed Salvation Army (Scotland) from the list of first responder organisations in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

  7. Updated contact details for Migrant Help, Scotland and Belfast and Lisburn Women's Aid, Northern Ireland.

  8. Updated City Hearts to Causeway Charitable Services following a name change by the organisation.

  9. Period of support changed from 45 days to 30 days in section 6 of the guidance for England and Wales.

  10. Guidance for Northern Ireland and Scotland has been updated: Youth Work Alliance (Northern Ireland) have been added as an approved first responder organisation from 1 July 2023.

  11. The support in England and Wales section of the privacy information notice has been updated.

  12. Updated 'National referral mechanism guidance: adult (England and Wales)' to add Refugee Council to the list of first responder organisations.

  13. Updated Women's Aid details in chapter 5 'Access to support' - changed name to 'Belfast and Lisburn Women's Aid' and added email address.

  14. Amended the Northern Ireland and Scotland guidance to include two new first responder organisations in section 4, and to edit the types of victim supported by Women's Aid in section 5.

  15. Updated the national referral mechanism guidance for England and Wales. This includes updated contact details and an updated list of first responder organisations. Updated the national referral mechanism guidance for Northern Ireland and Scotland. This includes updated contact details and the addition of a list of first responder organisations.

  16. Updated list of first responder organisations in 'National referral mechanism guidance: adult (England and Wales)'.

  17. Updated "Privacy information notice: national referral mechanism" to include information about a new competent authority, the Immigration Enforcement Competent Authority.

  18. Accessible HTML version of 'Privacy information notice: national referral mechanism' added.

  19. Updated section 7 of 'National referral mechanism guidance: adult (England and Wales)', to reflect that Independent Child Trafficking Guardians (ICTG) services have been expanded.

  20. Replaced the privacy notice with a new version.

  21. 'GDPR' changed to 'UK GDPR'.

  22. Paper referral forms are no longer in use.

  23. Updated content on the Privacy information notice: national referral mechanism page.

  24. Changed summary text and description to reflect the introduction of the digital referral mechanism.

  25. Updated adult national referral mechanism guidance for England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland

  26. Updated announcement, as well as guidance and forms for adults in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland to reflect recent reforms

  27. National referral mechanism guidance for adults updated to reflect change from UKVI and NCA competent authorities to the Single Competent Authority, changes to support and introduction of Independent Child Trafficking Advocates.

  28. The guidance and forms have been updated to reflect a change to the referral process.

  29. Updated NRM forms.

  30. Added privacy information notice for the national referral mechanism.

  31. Updated the National referral mechanism form: adult (England and Wales) document with a new version.

  32. Updated national referral mechanism forms for adults in England and Wales and Northern Ireland and Scotland.

  33. Referral process unchanged by announcement of future reforms to the NRM.

  34. Updated national referral mechanism forms for adults and children (Scotland and Northern Ireland).

  35. England and Wales forms updated.

  36. Updated address on forms for England and Wales.

  37. Updated forms and guidance published.

  38. Updated guidance on adults referrals (England and Wales) published.

  39. Updated forms for England and Wales published.

  40. Updated documents (NRM guidance: adult - England and Wales; NRM form: adult - England and Wales; and NRM form: child - England and Wales)

  41. Updated forms and guidance.

  42. New national referral mechanism (NRM) child forms for Scotland and Northern Ireland and England and Wales.

  43. Updated form and guidance.

  44. Updated document.

  45. First published.

Documents

National referral mechanism guidance: adult (England and Wales)

HTML

National referral mechanism guidance: adult (Northern Ireland and Scotland)

HTML

Privacy information notice: national referral mechanism

HTML

Request your data from the Single Competent Authority

HTML

Details

All designated first responders should use the digital referral system to make National Referral Mechanism (NRM) and Duty to Notify (DtN) referrals. Further information can be found in the guidance documents on this page.

If you think this will be a problem for you, or if you want to provide any feedback on the online referral process please email nrm@modernslavery.gov.uk

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