Jurisdiction(s):
United Kingdom

Related legal acts

Key definition

Ownership definition

What does Ownership mean? In legal practice, ownership describes who has the bundle of rights over property: to possess, use, enjoy income, exclude others, transfer, or charge it, subject to law and third‑party rights (such as easements/servitudes, leases and security interests). It is a descriptive expression used across contexts (land, goods, shares, intellectual property), rather than a single statutory definition, though related concepts are defined in legislation and case law (for example, beneficial ownership in anti‑money laundering/PSC regimes and land registration rules). Across England & Wales, Northern Ireland and Ireland, lawyers commonly distinguish legal ownership (title shown on a register, deed or share register) from...

Modern Slavery Act 2015 section 54 slavery and human trafficking statements: scope, preparing, approval, publication, timing, enforcement, Home Office 2025 statutory guidance (UK)

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Practice notes

Section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 (MSA 2015) requires certain organisations to prepare and make public an annual slavery and human trafficking statement. This Practice Note outlines how to produce a statement that complies with MSA 2015. It sets out what amounts to slavery for the purposes of MSA 2015, which organisations are obliged to publish a statement, the expected format and content, the internal steps for approval and signature, and the publication obligations, including when and how often the statement should be issued.

What is slavery?

MSA 2015 encompasses four activities, defined by reference to article 4 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR):

Slavery: exercising powers of ownership over an individual
servitude: imposing an obligation to provide services through coercion
Forced or compulsory labour: work or services demanded under threat of a penalty, without the person offering themselves voluntarily
Human trafficking: arranging or enabling another person’s travel with the intention of exploiting them

All four activities should be addressed within a slavery and human trafficking statement...

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Web page updated on 21/05/2026

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