Human trafficking victims (Our World) in United Kingdom

United Kingdom: Human trafficking victims (Our World) was 23,411 in 2025. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2025)
23,411
Change on year
up 22.5%
World rank
1st
of 135 countries
All-time high
23,411
in 2025
All-time low
297
in 2010
Years of data
17
2009–2025

Human trafficking victims in United Kingdom, 2009–2025

05.0k10.0k15.0k20.0k25.0k2009201720252009: 5492010: 2972011: 4822012: 5552013: 8162014: 5432015: 5962016: 6012017: 5.1k2018: 7.0k2019: 10.6k2020: 10.6k2021: 12.7k2022: 16.9k2023: 17.0k2024: 19.1k2025: 23.4k

Source: Our World in Data.

Analysis

The most recent figure for human trafficking victims in United Kingdom is 23,411, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 17 years on record.

That represents a change of up 22.5% on the previous year and up 3,828.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, human trafficking victims in United Kingdom peaked at 23,411 in 2025 and was at its lowest, 297, in 2010.

That places United Kingdom 1st out of 135 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Human trafficking victims (Our World) in United Kingdom, year by year

Annual values for Human trafficking victims in United Kingdom, 2009 to 2025.
Year Value Change
2009 549 —
2010 297 -45.9%
2011 482 +62.3%
2012 555 +15.1%
2013 816 +47.0%
2014 543 -33.5%
2015 596 +9.8%
2016 601 +0.8%
2017 5,138 +754.9%
2018 6,985 +35.9%
2019 10,627 +52.1%
2020 10,582 -0.4%
2021 12,700 +20.0%
2022 16,921 +33.2%
2023 17,004 +0.5%
2024 19,117 +12.4%
2025 23,411 +22.5%

United Kingdom compared with similar countries

  • United Kingdom's 23,411 is above the median for high income countries, which is 66, 354.7× the median. (51 countries reporting)
  • United Kingdom's 23,411 is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 72.5, 322.9× the median. (46 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Human trafficking victims (Our World) in United Kingdom changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.

YearChange FromTo
2017 +754.9% 601 5,138

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 549 549 549 1
2010s 2,664 297 10,627 10
2020s 16,622 10,582 23,411 6

Countries ranked near United Kingdom

  1. 2 United States 16,390 compare
  2. 3 India 6,043 compare
  3. 4 France 2,149 compare

See the full ranking of 135 places →

More reference data data for United Kingdom

All data for United Kingdom →

Frequently asked questions

What is human trafficking victims in United Kingdom?
Human trafficking victims in United Kingdom was 23,411 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
What is the highest human trafficking victims recorded in United Kingdom?
The highest recorded value was 23,411 in 2025.
What is the lowest human trafficking victims recorded in United Kingdom?
The lowest recorded value was 297 in 2010.
How does United Kingdom rank for human trafficking victims?
United Kingdom ranks 1st out of 135 countries with data for 2025.
Is human trafficking victims rising or falling in United Kingdom?
Over the last ten years it is up 3,828.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Human trafficking victims. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Human trafficking victims in United Kingdom. Statizoid, drawing on Our World in Data. Retrieved 14 November 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/human-trafficking-victims/united-kingdom/

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About this data

Indicator
Human trafficking victims
Source
Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
135 places, 1,697 data points, 2007–2025
Last refreshed