Ukrainian refugees are being exploited through forced labour and “debt bondage” by the British hosts who offered them safety under the Homes for Ukraine scheme,
“We know through our experience in supporting survivors of trafficking that it can take years for people to seek support,” it said.a small number of suspected modern slavery cases had been confirmed but added “swift action is taken where exploitation is suspected”.
The Red Cross, which is the largest provider of refugee support in the UK, has also encountered hosts demanding labour to compensate for the increased cost of living, including utility bills and food costs, incurred by hosting them., increasing to £500 if they continue hosting for one year. The Red Cross stressed the majority of hosts had been extremely generous and that cases of exploitation appeared to be isolated incidents rather than organised networks. However, it urged the Government to tackle risk of exploitation of vulnerable Ukrainians arriving in the UK and monitor the problem.