The Farm Work Welfare App

THE PROBLEM

Labour exploitation is the second most common form of modern slavery in the UK after coerced criminality (e.g. county lines drug trafficking, cannabis cultivation, shoplifting etc). It is most prevalent in the construction, agriculture and car wash sectors.

Clewer Initiative has already developed and launched the Safe Car Wash App to help identify victims of modern slavery in the car wash sector. Now, we are turning our attention to the rural sector where both farm business and workers can fall victim to criminal labour providers.

Every year, vulnerable and migrant seasonal workers are targeted and exploited by highly organised criminal gangs. It is hard to get exact numbers on the scale of the problem in this sector. However, we believe it is growing in line with the overall increase in modern slavery and, like other types of exploitation and modern slavery, it can go unnoticed.

THE APP

The Farm Work Welfare App is easy to download and use and has been designed to support both employers and workers. To help support migrant workers the content has been translated into seven languages.

It will:

• provide farmers and growers with information, signposting and tools to help avoid criminal organisations and promote worker welfare. It will contain essential support on licensed labour providers, document verification and the rights of workers such as freedom of movement and right to work
• support workers and help them understand their rights and what to do if they are being exploited
• raise awareness amongst members of the public who live or work in rural areas about modern slavery and how to spot potential cases of exploitation.