Migrants who come to the UK and work in the homes of private individuals (as an “overseas domestic worker,” often caring for someone’s home and/or their family) have a unique work environment. They also have a unique risk of exploitation, following UK government changes in 2012 which largely tied their visa status to their employer.
The charity Kayalaan reports that many migrants face appalling conditions. For example, between 2012 and 2024, 73% of workers surveyed did not have access to their passport in the UK, 64% did not have their own bedroom or private space, and 31% were not paid regularly. Not only are such conditions widely recognised as exploitive, but they can also constitute modern slavery and potentially be unlawful under the UK’s Modern Slavery Act 2015.
Furthermore, the UK government notes that approximately 75% of domestic workers are women, meaning this abuse disproportionately affects a certain gender.
Eleanor Lyons, the government’s Anti-Slavery Commissioner, has recently explained how the UK’s visa policy exacerbates these risks. Currently, workers have the right to change their employer, but only up until the amount of time remaining on a six-month visa, even if that is only a few days. As a result, many domestic workers are likely to be unable to find new employment within such a short timeframe. Ms. Lyons warns that preventing abusive situations is critical; she writes that domestic workers must have more protections, including “most importantly, the ability to leave an employer safely without jeopardising their immigration status or increasing their vulnerability.”
One of the changes she proposes is a requirement to notify when a worker changes employer, which could “provide valuable insight into emerging risks and patterns of exploitation, enabling earlier intervention.”
The government is due to review the overseas domestic worker visa until the end of the year. In the meantime, if you are concerned about yourself or someone else, you can contact these specialist charities:
- Kalayaan – http://www.kalayaan.org.uk/; 0207 243 2942
- Unseen – https://www.modernslaveryhelpline.org/; 08000 121 700.
By Tiffany Carpenter