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The House of Lords Joint Committee on Human Rights Report on Forced Labour in UK Supply Chains (2025) finds that goods produced with forced labour are being sold in the UK, exposing systemic weaknesses in law and enforcement.
The UK relies on a patchwork of laws such as the Modern Slavery Act 2015, but compliance is poor and voluntary transparency reporting has failed to prevent abuses. The report highlights that the UK is falling behind the US and EU, both of which have implemented stronger import bans and mandatory due diligence regimes.
It calls for new legislation within a year to outlaw forced-labour-linked goods, impose mandatory human rights due diligence on businesses, introduce import bans, and create civil liability for companies failing to prevent abuses. Stronger regulation, penalties, and better use of existing powers such as the Proceeds of Crime Act are recommended.
Specific risks are identified in cotton, fish, processed tomatoes, solar panels, and critical minerals, with evidence linking UK supply chains to forced and child labour abroad. Public procurement, including NHS supplies and solar roll-out, is singled out as high risk and requiring stricter controls.
Finally, the Committee urges stronger leadership, international alignment, and survivor-centred justice, including a proposed “duty to prevent” law and a Survivor Advisory Council to ensure victim voices shape policy.
