ANTI-MODERN slavery campaigners demanded today the government “urgently address barriers” blocking potential victims from accessing support as national referrals reach record high.

New data showed the number of people who referred themselves to the Home Office rose by more than a fifth last year, reaching 23,411 in 2025.

This was up from 19,117 the previous year, marking the highest number of referrals made in a single since the national referral mechanism (NRM) began in 2009.

Victims of slavery and human trafficking must be assessed under the NRM in order to acccess support.

Unseen deputy director of front-line services Lauren Saunders told the Morning Star that despite the rise, the majority of instances of modern slavery remain “hidden.”

“These figures still understate the true scale of exploitation in the UK,” she said.

“The official data can only reflect what is reported and what victims give consent to disclose. Victims are often unable to seek help while being exploited due to fear and restricted movements.

“When they can seek help, they often also worry they won’t be believed, will be blamed for their situation, or could face retaliation from traffickers for speaking out.”

Ms Saunders also warned of a “growing culture of scepticism towards potential victims.”

She said this “drives many to avoid authorities — allowing traffickers to use fear and silence to maintain control and evade detection.”

Safeguarding Minister Jess Phillips had previously pledged to tackle modern slavery as a top priority.

And despite an October 2024 promise from the government to “eradicate” the backlog of NRM cases by the end of 2026, the latest data from the end of last year they still stood at 5,758.

A spokesperson for Anti-Slavery International told the Star: “The [government] must urgently address the barriers to the NRM.”

They added: “We know that this is only a fraction of the total number of people experiencing modern slavery in the UK today.

“But the reduction in the backlog of conclusive grounds decisions and shorter waiting times for survivors is a positive step.

“Faster decisions can reduce prolonged uncertainty and distress.”

The London-based human rights group said that despite only 66 per cent of cases resulting in a positive finding of modern slavery, its research “shows that negative decisions are often incorrect and can be due to inappropriate evidentiary requirements, making the NRM inaccessible for many.”