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Home Office announces repayment for slavery victims after it unlawfully cut their support

Government vows to pay 'as soon as possible' after High Court judge deems decision was taken on 'false basis'

May Bulman
Social Affairs Correspondent
Thursday 17 January 2019 19:41 GMT
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Evidence presented to the High Court in November from two victims of trafficking who brought the challenge and from charities showed the detrimental effect that the cuts had on trafficking victims
Evidence presented to the High Court in November from two victims of trafficking who brought the challenge and from charities showed the detrimental effect that the cuts had on trafficking victims (National Crime Agency)

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The Home Office has announced a repayment scheme for modern slavery victims after its decision to slash their financial support was ruled unlawful by the High Court.

More than 1,000 potential victims of trafficking had their weekly benefits cut by over 40 per cent – from £65 to £37.75 per week – after the reduction was implemented without consultation with those affected or their support providers.

Evidence presented to the High Court in November from two victims of trafficking who brought the challenge and from charities showed the detrimental effect the cuts had on trafficking victims.

The Home Office was ordered to make back-payments which could exceed £1m after the judge ruled a “very substantial cut imposed unilaterally” by the department was taken on “a false basis and cannot stand”.

Now the department has put in place a process so those affected receive a full back payment “as soon as possible”.

Campaigners welcomed the announcement, but said the government would not be “shelling out more money to administer a repayment system” if it had listened to “consistent” warnings the cuts would cause undue hardship and distress.

Emily Kenway, senior advisor at Focus on Labour Exploitation (FLEX), added: “It is time the Home Office learned to listen to civil society when we make clear and informed statements about how their decisions will affect people on the ground.

“If they had done so originally, they would not have suffered an embarrassing court judgement against them nor now be funding a repayment system.”

The Home Office said a person is eligible for the scheme if they were receiving National Referral Mechanism (NRM) support as well as asylum seeker benefits at any point between 1 March and 8 November last year, and they received less than £65 financial support in total per week.

The amount they are entitled to will be based on how long they were receiving NRM support during this period and the amount of money they received during that time.

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In October The Independent revealed modern slavery victims who had escaped their abusers were being drawn back into exploitation as a means of survival following cuts to their financial support.

Lawyers said victims whose support has been reduced struggle to afford basics such as food and travel, placing them at high risk of being re-exploited financially, sexually and emotionally.

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