This clinical guidance for delivering psychological interventions for survivors of trafficking is written by psychologists and practitioners from the Helen Bamber Foundation and Freedom From Torture. Working therapeutically with survivors of trafficking is often complex and emotionally challenging for both the survivor and the therapist, but it can lead to significant improvements for a survivor’s quality of life.
The government's new measures will not deter people seeking safety from coming to the UK but will instead significantly harm the mental health and social integration of those recognised as needing protection in this country. These are men, women, children and families who have fled war, conflict, torture, trafficking, persecution and extreme cruelty. At a point when they most need safety and security, they will be left in a state of ongoing limbo and anxiety about being removed from the country, even once they have been recognised as refugees, and made to wait for over twenty years before they can settle here. Many will be denied the right to reunite with their children and other family members.
25 years ago, the landmark Palermo Protocol provided what is considered to be the ‘gold standard’ definition of human trafficking and mandated the protections and support for victims that governments must provide. It has been signed by over 190 countries. But two and a half decades on, many countries still lack the resources or the political will to enforce anti-trafficking laws effectively and, in the UK, we are witnessing an erosion of protections for victims of trafficking.
The suspension of refugee family reunion and proposed changes risk cutting off this vital legal path for families and driving refugees toward dangerous routes, such as small-boat crossings. In addition, they will have a devastating impact on the mental health of refugees in the UK. The government has repeatedly stated its commitment to preserving family unity, but these changes will only serve to keep families separated, worsening trauma, increasing isolation and preventing integration.
The Ambassadors for Change are a group of survivors with experience of the UK asylum system who campaign to ensure London is welcoming and fair for other people seeking safety. This briefing provides an overview of the difficulties that people seeking asylum and survivors of trafficking face when trying to access free, quality legal advice and representation, and shares lived experience testimonies. The final section of the document outlines recommendations from the Ambassadors that would help enable those seeking protection to access the legal support they need.
Despite going through a complex two-stage system, in 2024 only 4% of non-British nationals who were confirmed to be victims of trafficking were given permission to stay in the UK on that basis. That’s only 176 out of 4,240 people. Over 4,000 adults were refused permission to stay (known as ‘leave to remain’), despite many needing to do so for their safety and recovery and to assist with the prosecution of their traffickers. The situation is no better for children. The government's claim that people are “misusing” modern slavery and trafficking protections to remain in the UK could not be further from the truth.
The Ambassadors for Change, are survivors of torture, trafficking and persecution who have come to the UK in search of safety. Each of us carries scars — physical, emotional and psychological — from the violence we endured and from the long, punishing asylum process. Some of us are still waiting for decisions, some of us have refugee status, but we are united by survival and by the determination to speak out. This briefing sets out what needs to change to ensure the implementation of survivors' rights and participation.
Over the last weeks, we have been deeply alarmed about the far-right attacks outside asylum hotels and threats of more organised violence across the country. We strongly condemn the racist and vitriolic targeting of people seeking protection in the UK. We stand in solidarity with the men, women, children and families at the sharp end of this hostility, who deserve to live in dignity and with safety.
The government has rightly recognised that child poverty needs to be addressed urgently. But this concern appears to not apply to all children. Just two months ago, the government decided to keep a small group of already disadvantaged children stuck in the very poverty it seeks to address, by freezing the rates of financial support given to people seeking protection in the UK.
The Helen Bamber Foundation (HBF) welcomes the government’s decision to scrap the use of ‘scientific methods’ to assess the age of unaccompanied children seeking asylum in the UK. However, we are concerned about the government’s proposals to use artificial intelligence (AI) and facial recognition technologies to assess age, and the ongoing use of visual assessments at the border.
New data reveals that while over 4,240 non-British nationals were confirmed to be victims of trafficking in 2024, only 176 victims were granted permission to stay in the UK (‘leave to remain’) - just 4%. 4,064 adults were refused a grant of leave, despite many needing to stay in the country for their recovery and to assist with the prosecution of their traffickers. This new report from HBF, ATLEU and ECPAT UK looks at the harm caused to adult and child victims of trafficking left with insecure immigration status.
A first-of-its-kind clinical study by the Helen Bamber Foundation and the University of Hertfordshire looked at the mental health impact of living in hotel accommodation on people seeking protection in the UK. It found that those forced to live in asylum hotels experience significantly higher levels of distress and depression compared to people living in alternative accommodation.
