CEO Stakeholder blog - November 2025

It has been a busy few months at the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority. While we are working closely with the Department for Business and Trade ahead of our transfer to the new Fair Work Agency which is scheduled to come into effect next year, we are continuing to work hard to ensure that workers are able to be free from exploitation.  

Between April and September this year  

• we recovered £10,872.69 for workers.  

• 100% of victims who were assigned to our Victim Navigator remain fully engaged with the processes to achieve justice for them.  

• We created 59 disruptions including, notification of offences, enforcement notices and LMEOs. 

• 122 investigations have been closed.  

I thought it would be worth providing a couple of case studies that show what this means in real life for workers who we have helped.  

A worker reported unpaid wages at a food processing plant. A GLAA investigation confirmed their attendance despite initial denial by the labour provider. Consequently, the provider paid over £600 to the worker and issued an apology. The on-site manager was dismissed. 

Another example relates to workers who raised concerns about unpaid holiday pay after returning to Romania. Details were gathered through local Unseen contacts, and the agency paid over £2,500 to resolve the issue. 

As well as working directly with workers and others who need our help, we work with other governments and organisations to ensure that we can all share knowledge and work together to improve outcomes for vulnerable people.  

Last month the GLAA attended a Gulf Co-operation Council workshop on combating forced labour and human trafficking which was run by the International Labour Organisation and the Ministry of Labour for Qatar. 

There were representatives from the ministries and departments of most of the Gulf Co-operation Council countries, the International Labour Organisation and the International Organisation for Migration. 

The GLAA’s Neville Bradbury contributed to the topics of the workshop around forced labour and human trafficking and then delivered a presentation on the GLAA investigations, regulation and our Licensing Scheme.  

Looking ahead… 

At GLAA we were absolutely delighted with the recent news that Matthew Taylor has been appointed as the first Chair of the new Fair Work Agency, and looking forward to transitioning into the new organisation next year.