Conclusive Grounds Decision

Under the National Referral Mechanism, decisions on whether a person is a victim of modern slavery are made in two stages: a reasonable grounds decision, followed by a conclusive grounds decision. If there are reasonable grounds, the case will be investigated in more detail before deciding if there are conclusive grounds, and the potential victim receives a recovery period of at least 30 days before this second decision is made, with NRM support continuing at least until the conclusive grounds decision is reached.

The outcome of the conclusive grounds decision determines what happens next. If the decision is positive, the potential victim will receive a minimum of 45 calendar days' move-on support following their conclusive grounds decision, after which the point of exit from support is determined by a recovery needs assessment tailored to the individual's ongoing needs. If the decision is negative, the potential victim will receive move-on support for up to 14 working days after the receipt of the negative conclusive grounds decision, and either type of decision can be challenged by requesting a reconsideration within one month, on the basis of new information or a concern that the decision does not follow the statutory guidance.