Home Office Reinstates Support for Trafficking Victims with Criminal Convictions, Rights Groups Applaud, UK

The Home Office has reversed its policy that excluded certain victims of trafficking from receiving support, in a move that has been hailed by human rights groups. The policy, introduced by former Home Secretary Suella Braverman on 31 January, stated that potential trafficking victims with criminal convictions would no longer automatically be assessed for support. This exclusion raised concerns that victims could be forced back into the hands of their traffickers. However, a high court hearing, which concluded last year, warned of the risk of rights violations, such as slavery and forced labor, if the policy continued. Lawyers representing victims argued that the policy breached human rights laws. The Home Office has since withdrawn the policy and issued new guidance, requiring caseworkers to assess all trafficking victims for the risk of re-trafficking before withdrawing any support based on convictions. This change has been celebrated as a significant win for foreign national survivors who have faced exploitation and have been disproportionately punished for criminal acts committed as a result.