GovWire

What is labour exploitation?

We define labour exploitation as the abuse of people in the workplace for profit.

Some examples of labour exploitation are when:

• an employer does not pay employees the correct hourly National Living Wage or National Minimum Wage rate for their age
• an employer seeks to avoid paying basic employment costs such as national insurance contributions

Labour exploitation can be an element of the serious criminal offence of forced labour, which is a form of modern slavery.

Modern slavery is defined by Anti-Slavery International as when an individual is exploited by others, whether for personal or commercial gain.

These signs could indicate that someone is a victim of forced labour or modern slavery:

• signs of physical abuse, such as cuts, bruises, or obvious malnourishment
• signs of psychological abuse, such as appearing frightened, withdrawn or confused
• appearing to not be free to move on their own, or always being accompanied
• being transported to and from work, perhaps with many people in one vehicle
• lacking protective equipment, suitable clothing or training to safely do their job
• lacking access to their own documents, such as ID or passport these may have been confiscated by their employer
• working unusually long hours
• lacking a contract
• being paid less than the statutory minimum wage, or not being paid at all
• being forced to stay in accommodation provided by their employer, which may be overcrowded
• appearing afraid to accept money or payment

You can find out more about how to spot the signs of labour exploitation on the Unseen UK website. Unseen UK is the charity that operates the UK modern slavery and exploitation helpline.

Who should I report my concerns to?

Who you report issues to depends on the reason for your concerns.

This is because labour exploitation relates to many areas beyond private security industry legislation, such as employment, tax and immigration laws.

If you send us information about potential labour exploitation, we will send it on to the most relevant organisation.

Report security companies to the SIA

You can report security staff or companies to us if you have concerns that they are involved in labour exploitation.

You can do this through our online Report a Crime or Concern form. Select Other from the drop-down menu below What do you want to tell us about and write in Labour exploitation.

How to complain about pay and work rights

All employers must pay their workers the statutory minimum wage. You can find out if you are being paid correctly by using the National Minimum Wage and Living Wage calculator.

If you think you might be being underpaid, you should report this to HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) using their online complain about pay and work rights form.

You can also call the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas) pay and work rights helpline for free and confidential advice.

For more information, see the HMRC Check Your Pay campaign.

How to report alleged tax fraud or avoidance

You should report a person or business you think is not paying enough tax to HMRC using the online report tax fraud or avoidance to HMRC form.

How to report forced labour or modern slavery

You should report any suspicions immediately to:

• the police, by calling 999 in an emergency or 101 for non-emergencies
• the UK Modern Slavery Helpline by calling 0800 121 700 or filing a report online
• Crimestoppers by calling 0800 555 111 or giving information anonymously online