This presentation reports findings from a UK‑wide study commissioned by the Independent Anti‑Slavery Commissioner, examining how homelessness and housing instability act as structural drivers of vulnerability to human trafficking. The study adopts a public‑health prevention lens, recognizing that housing insecurity increases exposure to coercion and exploitation. The research explores: (1) how homelessness heightens susceptibility to exploitation; (2) where homelessness and anti‑trafficking systems intersect or fail to align; and (3) what prevention opportunities exist within current UK housing, homelessness, and support pathways. An evidence review examined UK literature on homelessness, trafficking risk, and structural inequality. This was complemented by interviews with practitioners and focus groups with individuals with lived experience. A prevention‑focused analytical framework guided the assessment of fourteen initiatives across statutory, voluntary, and faith sectors, mapping how they promote access, literacy, resilience, disruption, and partnership. Findings show homelessness consistently increases vulnerability to human trafficking. Key risks include street homelessness, unsafe informal accommodation, and unstable transitions between services. Systemic gaps include inconsistent safeguarding, limited early‑identification mechanisms, insufficient trafficking‑related training for housing authorities, fragmented multi‑agency coordination, and inadequate data on survivors’ housing status. Prevention opportunities include clearer statutory responsibilities, earlier intervention, survivor‑informed practice, and stronger integration between homelessness and anti‑trafficking services. The presentation concludes with recommendations to strengthen prevention across UK systems, including better risk identification, consistent safeguarding practice, enhanced cross‑sector collaboration, and targeted interventions at points where individuals experiencing homelessness are most vulnerable to exploitation.
Dr. Júlia Tomás is a researcher and systems practitioner specializing in homelessness, human trafficking prevention, and survivor‑centered policy design. She leads national and international research at The Passage, developing public‑health approaches to early intervention and structural risk reduction across homelessness systems. Her work focuses on evidence‑based prevention and cross‑sector collaboration.