Reasonable Grounds Decision
The first threshold decision in the National Referral Mechanism: whether there are reasonable grounds to believe that a person is a potential victim of modern slavery. The standard of proof is 'I suspect but cannot prove'.
Independent editorial summary — not the official statute text. Read the official version on legislation.gov.uk.
The reasonable grounds decision is stage 1 of the two-stage National Referral Mechanism decision-making process. A caseworker aims to look at a potential victim's case within 5 working days, whenever possible, and decide if there are reasonable grounds to believe they are a victim of modern slavery.
Cases that do not meet the reasonable grounds criteria are closed at this stage unless a reconsideration is requested. Where the decision is positive, the potential victim receives a recovery period of at least 30 days, and — if they have consented to NRM support — enters into support from the date of the positive decision; the case then moves on to the second stage, a conclusive grounds decision, made after further investigation.
Related terms
Official sources
This explanation is drawn from the official sources below; every substantive statement is verified against them. For advice on a specific matter, see our find help page.