Question to the Home Office:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bates on 29 June 2015 (HL541), what measures have been put in place to make it easier for those victims of human trafficking whose circumstances make it difficult to provide evidence to meet the requirements of the habitual residence test to demonstrate that they do meet the residence requirements of that test.

A significant number of victims of modern slavery who are identified in the UK are provided support through the government funded victim-care contract for 90 days or longer.

Where this is the case, we have ensured that the support provider is able to supply the Department for Work and Pensions with a letter as evidence that the individual has been habitually resident in the UK for more than three months.

For the remaining cases where they receive support for less than 90 days, evidence may be provided by the police or other statutory agencies involved in the case confirming the victim has been living in the UK for more than three months, where such evidence exists.