The number of people arriving in the UK irregularly on small boats has increased every year since this route became common in 2018 and 2019. Simultaneously, the number of people referred to the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) as potential victims of modern slavery has also increased steadily, and both of these rises are putting the relevant government systems under pressure.

This report looks at how many people were referred to the NRM after arriving in the UK on a small boat, specifically focusing on those who were detained for return, to help understand the relationship between these events.