Government's continuing commitment to Afghanistan

• Thousands more Afghans are expected to arrive in the UK under bespoke schemes in the next year
• So far, over 11,300 Afghans have received Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK
• Councils and landlords urged to bring forward the most generous number of accommodation pledges possible for the year ahead

New data published today (Thursday 25 August) shows the UK is fulfilling its obligations to the people of Afghanistan and remains committed to providing protection for them.

The data on the number of Afghans resettled in the UK since April 2021, shows that over 11,300 Afghans have been granted Indefinite Leave to Remain, through the bespoke visa schemes set up for them.

In addition, nearly 21,500 British Nationals and Afghans have been brought to safety prior to, during and following Operation Pitting, the biggest air evacuation since the Second World War.

The situation on the ground both in Afghanistan and in the UK remains complex, while Afghans continue to arrive in the UK and a steady stream of people are moving into settled accommodation each week.

The Home Office is working towards resettling hundreds of Afghan arrivals per month over the next three years through the Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy (ARAP) for current and former Locally Employed Staff in Afghanistan, while the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) will welcome up to 20,000 people in need, including women and children, LGBT+, religious and ethnic minorities.

Through ACRS, the government has started receiving its first referrals from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and will bring the first arrivals to the UK as soon as possible. From next year, the government will start working with international partners and NGOs so the UK can welcome wider groups at risk. As a result, in the next year over 3,500 Afghans are expected to arrive in the UK under ACRS.

Home Secretary Priti Patel said:

“The evacuation of Afghanistan was a race against time to get people out – the stakes had never been higher. The UK has a well-earned reputation for extending the hand of friendship to those in need and I am incredibly proud that nearly 21,500 people have so far made it to safety in the UK thanks to a huge government effort and the determination of the British public to help during very challenging, complex and intense circumstances.

“One year on, our work to help Afghans resettled in the UK has not stopped - there are still weekly flights, our resettlement schemes remain open and we will be welcoming thousands more people to our country. We are also doing everything possible to move families into homes and I urge landlords and local authorities to come forward with suitable accommodation.”

The two visa schemes set up for Afghans fleeing the Taliban, ARAP and ACRS, will enable Afghans to rebuild their lives in the UK including receiving full access to public services, education and benefits, including Universal Credit, as well as the right to work as soon as they arrive here. In less than a year, almost 7,400 Afghan evacuees have been provided with permanent homes.

The government is working hard to provide accommodation for Afghans, however the data published today shows 9,667 Afghans are living across 66 bridging hotels. As a result, more than 2,000 properties are required, so families can move out of hotels and into homes.

The Home Office and Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities are reaching out to landlords, property developers and the wider private rented sector, including property website RightMove, to encourage further offers of homes.

In addition, the government is working directly with education bodies to turn student accommodation into long-term housing for Afghan families.

Minister for Refugees Lord Harrington said:

“Finding long term housing for Afghans is a very real and complex challenge. While the number of hotels in use has reduced, we are determined to move people out of bridging accommodation as quickly as possible so Afghans can start their new lives in the UK.

“We are doing everything in our power to encourage councils and landlords to come forward, while also looking at innovative solutions to source accommodation. The use of hotels is a temporary solution and is not a policy we want to pursue, but in the meantime they do provide safe, clean and secure accommodation.”

ENDS

Notes to editors

Statistics

• The Home Office will include data on Afghan Resettlement within its quarterly Immigration Statistics publications, alongside other data on its resettlement schemes in the future, once the statistical systems and quality assurance of the data are complete. Until that time, the Home Office will continue to update its Factsheet with the best available operational data on Afghan Resettlement, on a quarterly basis.
• The government’s response to the crisis in Afghanistan last August was one of the most challenging, intense and complex overseas operations undertaken by the UK.
• Of the 21,450 who have arrived in the UK:
• • C. 2,000 pre-Op-Pitting (all of whom are being relocated under ARAP)
  • C.15,000 during Op-Pitting (some individuals evacuated during Operation Pitting are British Nationals, and a small number are third country nationals)
  • C. 5,000 post-Op-Pitting

Resettlement schemes

• The Home Secretary and Defence Secretary launched the Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy (ARAP) scheme in April 2021 for those who worked with the UK in Afghanistan so they had an established route to come here. ARAP remains open.
• The Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) which will welcome up to 20,000 people in need and will prioritise those who assisted UK efforts in Afghanistan, stood up for values the UK holds dear, such as democracy, women’s rights, freedom of speech and rule of law, and vulnerable people.
• Pathway 1 is for people evacuated or called forward under Operation PITTING, the UK military evacuation from Afghanistan. Pathway 2 is for UNHCR (The United Nations Refugee Agency) referred refugees who had fled Afghanistan.
• Around 6,500 people were brought to safety in the UK during and after the Afghanistan evacuation, who are eligible for ACRS and received leave to remain under Pathway 1.   
• Under the newly-opened Pathway 2, we are now receiving referrals from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) of vulnerable refugees who have fled Afghanistan for resettlement to the UK. Further detail can be found on the UNHCR website.   
• For the first year of Pathway 3 of the ACRS, the government is offering places to eligible at-risk individuals from British Council contractors, GardaWorld contractors and Chevening alumni in Afghanistan or the region.
• After the first year of Pathway 3, the Government will work with international partners and NGOs to design and deliver this pathway. This will allow us to welcome wider groups at risk. Further detail will be set out in due course.   

Housing and wider support

• A £25.5m Housing Costs fund is available to local authorities to help meet the costs of housing. This additional housing support is being provided to enable local authorities to come forward with offers of accommodation with 3 bedrooms or more as soon as possible. 
• The government’s improved Housing Portal allows property owners and organisations to submit offers of housing for people who have arrived from Afghanistan.  
• We are also engaging with landlords, letting agencies and industry bodies to promote the portal and encourage participation in the resettlement programme.
• In the last year, nine government departments, including DWP, DLUHC, DfE and the Home Office, worked together to put in place a comprehensive package of support to welcome Afghans resettled in the UK, so they can settle into their local communities. This includes a package of funding for local authorities to help families:
• • £20,520 per person over three years to support resettled Afghans. 
  • Up to £4,500 per child to cover education. 
  • £850 for adults requiring English language support. 
  • £2,600 for healthcare.