Hundreds of Afghans to be resettled in Yorkshire under new scheme

Every council in the region has agreed to take in people through the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) and the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS), which were set up after US led-forces withdrew from Afghanistan last summer and the Taliban took back control of the country.

Around 7,000 are being resettled in the UK under the ARAP, which is for Afghans who worked with the British military and their families.

The ACRS, launched this week, allows people who are deemed to be at risk of persecution in their home country, such democracy campaigners, women’s rights activists and members of minority groups, to remain in the UK indefinitely.

Councils in Yorkshire have agreed to take in around 1,000 Afghans in total through both schemes, and more than 300 have already been resettled.

David Brown, head of Migration Yorkshire, said the people relocated under the ARAP have been given priority for housing, but the launch of the ACRS will allow more Afghans to be moved into permanent accommodation.

He said: “A lot of the Afghans came out with the others back in August, so they’re in hotels waiting to be placed and they have not been able to be placed until this scheme was agreed.

“But now there should be nothing stopping those people moving through at the same pace as the others.”

He added: “The position of local authorities is essentially that it's good that this has been formalised.

“Councils in Yorkshire and the Humber have already planned for this cohort and are actively working on resettling them already. This brings clarity to that situation.

“We are planning to take our fair share.”

The Home Office said the ACRS will provide up to 20,000 Afghans with “a safe and legal route to resettle in the UK”.

Victoria Atkins, Minister for Afghan Resettlement, said: “The Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme provides a safe, legal and secure way for the most vulnerable and at-risk people from Afghanistan to come to the United Kingdom and rebuild their lives, as part of the New Plan for Immigration.

“This scheme is just the beginning. Now it’s time to pick up the pace and get more Afghan families into work, into education and into permanent homes so they can integrate, thrive and rebuild their lives here in the UK.”