The Mayor of London, has
announced that Islington is the first borough to secure funding
from his Right to Buy Back scheme to secure long-term housing for
Afghan refugees.
The north London borough has agreed a deal to bring 80 homes back
into council ownership, including 20 family-sized* homes for
Afghan refugees.
The Mayor’s Right to Buy-back fund was established earlier this
year to give boroughs the funds to purchase former council homes
that have been sold into the private market through the
Government’s Right to Buy programme. These homes are then made
available to those on boroughs’ council home waiting lists.
London has a proud history of providing sanctuary to those in
need and the Mayor has made clear that he wants to do everything
in his power to support Afghan refugees to establish a long-term
future in the city. In late August, as thousands of Afghans fled
the advancing Taliban, the Mayor announced he was expanding his
new Right to Buy-back fund to help councils buy homes that can be
used to resettle families arriving from Afghanistan. In
recognition of the emergency situation, the Mayor agreed to
provide increased funding for family-sized homes purchased
through the programme, which has led to today’s deal. These homes
are on the open market so are expected be purchased shortly.
The Mayor is also looking to expand access to a range of fully
funded language courses for Afghans who have settled into the UK
on either the Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy (ARAP) or
Afghanistan Citizens’ Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) through his
Adult Education Budget. From this year, the Mayor is also
planning to fully fund all eligible asylum seekers to access
training including in English for Speakers of Other Languages
(ESOL). This will provide much needed support to help refugees
discover more about their new homes and to re-build their lives
in London.
Sadiq has welcomed the Government’s commitment to resettle up to
20,000 Afghan refugees and the announcement of multi-year funding
for councils to support them. However, as his Right to Buy Back
scheme begins to make a real difference to the lives of refugees
in London, he is once again urging ministers to use it as a
template for a national model to boost council housing supplies.
The Mayor of London,
said: “I am delighted that Islington councillors have
taken this swift, bold action to change the lives of Afghan
refugees seeking sanctuary in their borough.
“The crisis in Afghanistan was devastating to watch and left many
of us questioning what we could do to help. To see our city
providing a home for those who have been dispossessed, giving
security and safety to those who have lost so much, makes me
proud to be a Londoner.
“But the hard work is just beginning and I look forward to
hearing more proposals from more councils to emulate Islington’s
work. I’d also like to see Ministers replicate the ‘Right to
Buy-back’ offer right across the country, helping councils and
housing associations purchase more much-needed homes.
“Resettlement goes beyond just housing and I stand ready to work
with Government to ensure London boroughs and community
organisations have the support necessary to help Afghan arrivals
establish a long-term future in our open and welcoming city.”
Cllr Diarmaid Ward, Islington Council’s Executive Member
for Housing and Development, said: “Islington has a long
and proud history of offering sanctuary to people in need, and we
stand ready to help Afghan refugees in every way we can.
“We also want to accommodate as many households facing
homelessness in our borough as possible, and make sure everyone
has a place to call home, which is secure, decent and genuinely
affordable.
“Thanks to the Mayor of London’s Right to Buy-back fund, we’ll
buy 80 family-sized homes in Islington to help local families
facing homelessness and refugees from Afghanistan. These homes
will make a huge difference to the lives of hundreds of people.”
ENDS
Notes to editors
