A study has found that there are at least 100 000 modern slaves in the UK - about 10 times more than official estimates. It said the coronavirus pandemic was likely to push more people into forced labour. The UK is home to at least 100 000 modern slaves according to a new study, 10 times more than the official estimate, as activists warned 90% of victims may be going undetected. WATCH | Escaping modern slavery"Whilst Britain has made progress fighting modern slavery, not least in the passing of the Modern Slavery Act five years ago, so much more work is needed to combat the issue," the charity's chief executive, Christian Guy, said in a statement. Government research in 2018 said the crime sets Britain back by up to 4.3 billion pounds ($5.6 billion) annually, based on an earlier estimate of 10 000 - 13 000 slaves living in the nation.

Source: News 24 July 13, 2020 19:55 UTC