Annex: Reasons for accepting reconsideration requests
Published 8 May 2025
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/modern-slavery-nrm-and-dtn-statistics-january-to-march-2025/annex-reasons-for-accepting-reconsideration-requests
Potential victims who receive a negative reasonable or conclusive grounds decision may request reconsideration by the relevant competent authority. A reconsideration request must be made within 30 calendar days of the negative reasonable grounds or conclusive grounds decision on the following grounds:
- where additional evidence can be provided which, taken with all the available evidence already considered, could demonstrate that the individual is a victim of modern slavery
- there are specific concerns that a decision made is not in line with statutory guidance
Potential victims may request an extension to the 30-day deadline, but this will only be accepted in the event of exceptional circumstances.
From January to March 2025, there were 300 accepted requests for reconsideration to the competent authorities. Of these, 227 (76%) were accepted due to submission of additional evidence, 65 (22%) were accepted because of concerns that the original decision was not made in line with statutory guidance and 8 (3%) were accepted due to a combination of additional evidence and guidance concerns.
This annex does not include requests for reconsideration of disqualification decisions, and so the overall number differs from that in the main bulletin.
Reasonable grounds
There were 183 accepted requests for reconsideration following a negative reasonable grounds decision. Of these, 140 (77%) were accepted due to submission of additional evidence, 35 (19%) were accepted because of concerns that the original decision was not made in line with statutory guidance, and 8 (4%) were due to a combination of additional evidence.
Conclusive grounds
There were 117 accepted requests for reconsideration following a negative conclusive grounds decision. Of these, 87 (74%) requests for reconsideration were accepted due do submission of additional evidence and 30 (26%) were accepted because of concerns that the original decision was not made in line with statutory guidance.
Figure 1: Reason for reconsideration by decision type
Source: SCA
Reconsideration cases accepted, by Competent Authority
The Single Competent Authority (SCA) accepted 157 reconsideration requests. Of these, 126 (80%) were accepted due to submission of additional evidence, 29 (18%) were accepted because of concerns the original decision was not made in line with statutory guidance and 2 (1%) were due to a combination of additional evidence and guidance concerns.
The Immigration Enforcement Competent Authority (IECA) accepted 143 requests for reconsideration. Of these, 101 (70%) were accepted due to submission of additional evidence, 36 (25%) were accepted because of concerns the original decision was not make in line with statutory guidance and 6 (4%) were accepted due to a combination of additional evidence and guidance concerns.
Figure 2: Reason for reconsideration by Competent Authority
Source: SCA
Further information on reconsiderations and outcomes of reconsiderations can be found in the main statistical bulletin, Modern slavery: National Referral Mechanism and Duty to Notify statistics UK, quarter 1 2025 (January to March).