When the United Kingdom government renewed the Seasonal Worker Scheme (SWS) for another five years earlier this year, it was hailed by ministers as a necessary measure to address persistent labour shortages in agriculture. Yet for many of the women who travel thousands of miles to pick Britain’s fruit, vegetables, and flowers, the scheme has become less of an opportunity and more of a gateway into exploitation.

A new briefing published by Focus on Labour Exploitation (FLEX), a charity campaigning to end trafficking and exploitation in the UK, has uncovered troubling evidence of gender-based inequalities within the SWS. The report, titled Uneven Fields: Women Workers’ Experiences of the Seasonal Worker Scheme, provides a sobering account of how migrant women are disproportionately subjected to harassment, economic insecurity, and degrading treatment.

Even before their first shift in the fields, many women are already locked into a cycle of debt. Migrant workers often take out loans to cover the steep upfront costs of participating in the SWS – visa fees, recruitment charges, flights, and associated expenses. According to FLEX’s survey data, 77% of women reported resorting to loans to fund their journey, compared with 70% of men.

For women, this financial burden is compounded by the fact that their promised working hours and wages often do not materialise. The scheme’s guidelines clearly state that workers must be guaranteed the National Living Wage of £12.21 per hour (for those aged 21 and over) and at least 32 hours of paid work per week. Yet 21% of women surveyed reported receiving less than 32 hours, compared with 11% of men.

This shortfall leaves women particularly vulnerable. Many struggle to earn enough to cover their debts, creating conditions that border on debt bondage. With mounting financial pressure and few avenues for redress, they can quickly find themselves trapped in insecurity rather than........

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