POLICE in England and Wales recorded 2,255 modern slavery offences in the 12 months to March 2017, with an increasing number of suspected cases reported, according to an official report published today.

The Gangmasters & Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA) report titled The Natures and Scale of Labour Exploitation across all Sectors within the United Kingdom reveals that Vietnamese, British and Albanian were the most common nationalities referred for labour exploitation, including criminal exploitation such as cannabis cultivation, in 2017.

It notes that the number of Vietnamese potential victims is consistently high and continues to increase and that exploitation of Romanian workers is most frequently reported.

The government agency says that there is often a correlation between the nationality of victims and exploiters. They may share a common language or cultural similarities that aid recruitment and control, though British suspects appear more readily prepared to exploit victims from other backgrounds who are already in the country.

The report says that workers in several sectors may be erroneously labelled as self-employed, meaning they have few or no workplace rights, for example statutory benefits such as sick pay. Workers registered as self-employed but working exclusively for one company for many years — and being denied recognition as a employee — is a “widespread” practice that has a “direct link to exploitation.”

The report “hits the nail on the head” in its condemnation of bogus self-employment, particularly in the construction industry, the Unite union says.

Unite assistant general secretary Gail Cartmail said: “The report is entirely right to identify that not only does false self-employment deny workers basic employment rights but, by barring them from receiving holiday and sick pay, these workers are automatically being exploited and further abuses are likely.

“The report is also right to highlight that the extended and convoluted supply chains make identifying who a worker’s real employer is very difficult, while the use of exploitative payment methods such as umbrella companies makes these matters even more confusing.

“Employers must reform working practices to ensure that the unscrupulous cannot exploit workers and the government should be forcing employers to take such appropriate action.”

Ms Cartmail pledged that Unite would step up its fight against firms involved in such abuses, and continue to fight against bogus self-employment in the construction sector.

Effective enforcement of labour regulations will protect workers against exploitative recruitment and employment practices, the GLAA says.