The Modern Slavery & Exploitation Helpline

Sami was sponsored to come to the UK on a skilled worker visa and work in a restaurant. On arrival, the reality of the job was quite different to what had been agreed in his employment contract. Sami was monitored heavily via CCTV and was verbally abused frequently by his employer. Sami was paid a fraction of the salary he was supposed to receive, earning less than £150 per week. Out of this meagre wage, he had to return half to his employer as rent for his accommodation. The ‘accommodation’ consisted of a sofa in the restaurant.

Sami’s employer also made further deductions to his pay, stating these were for tax purposes. Sami was left with very little money to survive on and wanted to leave the situation to find different employment. His employer demanded that Sami pay thousands of pounds in exit fees to leave his contract and threatened to have him killed if he returned to his home country.

Sami fled the situation but did not have any money for accommodation and was fearful that he would be deported and that his life would be at risk when arriving back in his home country. Sami reached out to a solicitor who put him in touch with the Modern Slavery & Exploitation Helpline.

Following several calls with the Helpline, Sami presented at a police station and successfully advocated for himself to receive support as a destitute survivor of modern slavery. He was entered into the National Referral Mechanism and provided with safe accommodation.

Thanks to your donation to the Helpline, you have supported people like Sami to reach the help that they deserve.