UK safeguarding minister Jess Phillips, said that the department intended to end uncertainty for victims by completing cases within two years.

The news comes after reports that some trafficking victims have been waiting years to be defined as such.

There are some 130,000 victims of modern slavery in the UK. They are often found in prostitution or agriculture. Many have been abused sexually and economically but the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) makes them wait for prolonged periods to have their status confirmed.

The NRM’s aim is to protect people from further abuse after they are no longer being controlled by traffickers by giving them housing and other kinds of support.

Ms Phillips told The Guardian: “For too long, modern slavery survivors and the harrowing experiences they have lived through have not been given the attention and support they deserve.

“This is going to change. The actions I have announced are a first step towards putting survivors first, eradicating the backlog of modern slavery cases to give victims the clarity and peace of mind they need to move on with their lives.”

She said the last Conservative government had allowed the backlog to mount.

“In the last five years, the last government just didn’t care enough about modern slavery. They moved it to become the responsibility of the immigration minister and it became a sideshow.

“If you are the victim of such brutal crimes, sometimes brutal rapes, it is just horrible to have to wait for a decision like this. It is morally wrong and we will put this right.”