A new poll commissioned by The Repair Campaign shows a gulf in public knowledge about Britain’s role in transatlantic slavery and colonialism. The majority of those polled were unable to correctly answer questions on this topic. However, support for both a formal apology and financial reparations to Caribbean nations has increased over the past year. 

Overall, the poll highlights a widespread lack of understanding about the scale and legacy of Britain’s involvement in slavery and colonialism. The vast majority of respondents were unable to correctly answer a series of knowledge-based questions: 

• 85% did not know that more than 3 million people were forcibly shipped from Africa to the Caribbean by Britain during the transatlantic slave trade. 
• 89% were unaware that Britain enslaved people in the Caribbean for over 300 years. 
• 75% did not know that British taxpayers only finished paying on the money borrowed by the UK government to compensate slave owners for their “loss of property” after 2000. 
• Just 19% correctly identified that this loan, which was £20 million in 1833, would be worth over £2 billion in today’s money. 

The findings suggest a pressing need for better education about Britain’s historical role in transatlantic slavery and its ongoing impact. Nearly four in five respondents (78%) believe it is important for schools in the UK to teach about the country’s role in transatlantic slavery and colonialism. 

Growing Support for Reparations  

A vast majority (63%) now agree that Caribbean nations and descendants of enslaved people should receive a formal apology, up four percentage points from a similar poll conducted by The Repair Campaign last year. Support for financial reparations has also increased, with 40% now in favour, again a four-point increase on last year. 

Commenting on the findings, founder of The Repair Campaign, Denis O’Brien said: “It is heartening to see that public support for both a formal apology and for financial reparations has grown in the past year. But what these results also show is how little people in Britain really know about the country’s past. Poll respondents grossly underestimated the number of people enslaved and the length of Britain’s involvement in the slave trade. This lack of understanding underscores the urgent need for better public education on the issue. 

“On a more positive note, 90% of those in favour of financial reparations agree they should be directed towards long-term education, health, and infrastructure projects. The Repair Campaign is working with the CARICOM Reparations Commission to develop tailored plans for each CARICOM Member State that focus on these exact issues. We are also committed to raising  awareness and amplifying Caribbean voices calling for justice and meaningful reparations in the UK and Europe, including through public education and advocacy.”

Commenting on the Repair Campaign poll, CARICOM Secretariat Programme Manager, Culture,  Dr. Hilary Brown, who supports the CARICOM Reparations Commission, said: “It is encouraging to see that people from the UK support the need for repair. Our shared humanity demands justice for the horrific crimes committed, as a natural and necessary part of the process of repair.  Addressing the knowledge gap in the UK on the country’s history of trading and enslaving Africans  is urgent.” 

A Week of Repair  

Tomorrow, 25th March, marks the UN International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade, a day to reflect on the atrocities of slavery and its lasting legacy. 

In the lead-up to the Day and to address the gulf of knowledge identified in the research, The  Repair Campaign is running a series of public education and advocacy events on social media – featuring speakers from both the UK and the Caribbean – to raise awareness about reparations and to commemorate the sacrifices of Caribbean freedom fighters who resisted chattel slavery. UK speakers include Kayne Kawasaki, a cultural theorist and Black History educator, and Lavinya Stennett, CEO of The Black Curriculum.  

ENDS 

Contact: Niamh Breathnach / Eoin Hynes, Alice Public Relations, Email:  [email protected], Tel: +353-85-1461231 / +353-87-3256268 

Note to editors: 

• The UK poll was conducted by Walnut between 28th February and 3rd March 2025, with over 2,000 adults polled. 

About The Repair Campaign 

The Repair Campaign, in partnership with the CARICOM Reparations Commission, is focused on securing reparatory justice for the Caribbean. Founded by Denis O’Brien, who has had significant business interests in the region for over 25 years, the campaign works to amplify Caribbean voices, foster meaningful dialogue, and develop evidence-based socio-economic plans to address the enduring effects of slavery and colonialism. Further information is available at www.repaircampaign.org.