Modern Slavery Act 2015

The Act that consolidated and strengthened the law on modern slavery, trafficking, and forced labour in England and Wales. It created two main offences (slavery, servitude, and forced or compulsory labour; and human trafficking), enhanced the maximum sentences, created a new civil order (slavery and trafficking prevention order), and placed obligations on businesses to publish transparency statements about their supply chains.

Key Provisions

• Section 1: offence of slavery, servitude, and forced or compulsory labour
• Section 2: offence of human trafficking
• Section 14: slavery and trafficking prevention orders
• Section 17: slavery and trafficking risk orders
• Section 45: defence for slavery or trafficking victims who commit offences
• Section 47: guidance on identifying and supporting victims
• Section 54: transparency in supply chains (transparency statement)
• Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner (established by Part 4)

Relevance to Policing

Central reference for modern slavery investigations, the victim identification process, the legal defences available to trafficking victims, and the civil order regime.