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Spectator
2 days ago
- Politics
- Spectator
Where are the resettled Afghans living in Britain?
This week, we learned that three years ago a Ministry of Defence official accidentally released details of 18,714 Afghans who had applied for relocation to the UK. The Afghans, who had worked with British armed forces, feared retribution from the Taliban, so the Conservative government introduced a new scheme, alongside existing programmes, to resettle some of these people. The Spectator's leading article this week argues that Britain had a moral responsibility to help them. But how many have arrived so far? And where are they living in Britain? As of May, 35,245 people had been relocated to the UK through the Afghan resettlement programme made up of several schemes such as the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP), the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS), and the Afghanistan Response Route (ARR). The latter is the recently-revealed scheme for those deemed at risk but not eligible for ARAP or ACRS. Half of those resettled – some 16,156 – were affected by the data leak. All of the schemes were closed to new applicants on 1 July. ARAP focussed on Afghans who worked with the UK government and classified applicants into four categories. Category one covered UK government employees at immediate risk; category two was for Afghans who mostly worked as translators or cultural advisers; categories three and four covered those considered at lower risk. ACRS had a slightly wider criteria than ARAP (only 5 per cent of those who applied for ARAP in August 2021 were deemed eligible). It aimed to resettle around 20,000 Afghans – those who helped Britain but did not necessarily work with the armed forces, stood up for democracy or are members of minority religions or groups at risk. Like ARAP it had three categories, or 'pathways' which granted indefinite leave to remain, work rights, and eligibility for welfare benefits. Pathway one covered those evacuated during Operation Pitting in 2021; pathway two included referrals by the UNHCR; and pathway three targeted the 'at-risk individuals' who supported British efforts. ACRS also covers spouses, partners, and dependent children under the age of 18. The Afghan resettlement programme also assisted some British nationals (960) and other foreign nationals (120), though the vast majority were Afghans. Around two-thirds of the 34,308 resettled Afghans live in England, ranging from 5,541 in the south-east to 1,163 in the East Midlands. Scotland has 1,735; Wales, 772; and Northern Ireland, 305. No location data is available for the remaining 7,716. Among local authorities, Crawley (including Gatwick Airport) hosts the largest group (1,026), followed by Leeds (616), Birmingham (605), and Edinburgh (563). Fifteen local authorities, including Torridge in Devon, South Derbyshire, and the Isles of Scilly, have no resettled Afghans. Besides the resettlement schemes, many Afghans migrate to the UK for better economic prospects, as the UK's per capita GDP is 25 times higher than Afghanistan's. In 2024 alone, more than 5,700 Afghans arrived by small boat across the English Channel, making them the most common nationality using this route. Since 2018, 27,285 Afghans have arrived via small boats or other forms of irregular migration. As the scandal over the government's leak and cover-up continues, it's worth noting that some 5,400 more Afghans who have received invitation letters under ARR will be arriving in the UK over the next few months. The rest will be left in Afghanistan.
United News of India
02-07-2025
- Politics
- United News of India
UK quietly closes flagship schemes for Afghan resettlement, receives strong backlash
Kabul/London, July 2 (UNI) The UK government has quickly and quietly closed its two flagship resettlement schemes for Afghan nationals who supported British military and civil operations, sparking widespread concern among refugee advocates and human rights organisations, as per Khaama News. The change, introduced without formal announcement, was buried in an update to immigration rules published by the Home Office. Under the revised policy, the Ministry of Defence's Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) stopped accepting new applications by afternoon on Tuesday, July 1. The scheme, launched in April 2021 to support Afghans who assisted British forces, now applies only to individuals who submitted applications before the deadline. Additionally, the Home Office has also ended new intakes under the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS), which was designed to help vulnerable Afghan nationals and those linked to British civil and military operations. With both schemes now closed to new applicants, no legal routes currently exist for Afghans seeking protection in the UK. Human rights groups have heavily condemned the decision. Gunesh Kalkan, head of a refugee support charity, said the closure 'leaves children and families we support in danger and without hope,' and called for the government to expand, not restrict, safe migration routes. Dr Sara de Jong, an academic and refugee rights advocate, condemned the timing and lack of transparency. 'Not even half an hour before the deadline, there was any update on official websites. What about applicants waiting on appeals or preparing submissions?' she asked. De Jong also pointed out that the UK had pledged to resettle 20,000 at-risk Afghans by 2021, yet has fulfilled only around 65% of that promise. While the Ministry of Defence confirmed that those already deemed eligible may still apply for family reunification, critics argue that both schemes have been plagued by delays, poor administration and communication failures. The UK High Court previously likened the handling of Afghan special forces' cases to a 'crime scene.' As of May 2025, over 21,000 Afghans had been resettled in the UK under ARAP and ACRS. However, hundreds of eligible individuals remain stranded in Afghanistan, vulnerable to Taliban reprisals. Humanitarian groups are urging the government to immediately review and restore accessible, legal migration channels. UNI ANV RN
Time of India
02-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
UK shuts both its Afghan resettlement schemes without warning
TOI Correspondent from London: The UK govt has without warning shut down two legal schemes that helped over 34,000 Afghans claim sanctuary in Britain, sparking fury among the Afghan diaspora. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Immigration rule changes laid in parliament on Tuesday ended the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) for new applications. The scheme, launched in April 2021, was for those who had helped Britain fight the Taliban or who worked for the UK govt and feared reprisal. The Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS), which opened in Jan 2022 to help women, girls and minority groups come legally to the UK, was also shut. Migration minister Seema Malohtra said the UK will not launch any further pathways. Dr Nooralhaq Nasimi, director of the Afghanistan and Central Asian Association in London, which helps Afghan refugees in Britain, was angry about the closure and said Afghans were facing 'daily humiliation' by the UK press. 'If they welcome the people of Ukraine and Hong Kong, there shouldn't be any discrimination against Afghans. Trump has done the same thing by introducing a blanket ban on Afghans,' he told TOI. 'The UK press is promoting bad things about Afghan society. We were once part of Persian civilisation and invented lots of good things,' he said, adding that closing all legal routes meant more Afghans would come to the UK illegally. Nasimi added the two schemes had not even evacuated the right people to date. 'Most of the Afghans evacuated so far are from a Pashtun background, who have tribal links with the Taliban. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now They have come to the UK, got their residency, and travelled back to Afghanistan to support the Taliban. The Pashtuns are wealthy and live in palaces now. But the people who really deserved to come, for example individuals who worked with Nato, are still stuck in Afghanistan or facing deportation from Pakistan and Iran. There are women, girls, musicians, and activists all stuck in Afghanistan who would like to come to Britain. We are contacted daily by people who tried to come via these schemes who never got any response. Millions face starvation.' Defence secretary John Healey said ARAP could be closed 'not least so that defence efforts and resources can be focused where they are most needed — on our nation's security.' Over 12,800 Afghans have been resettled in Britain under ACRS. By March 31, 2025, 21,316 Afghans had been relocated under ARAP. A further 22,000 ARAP applicants are in a backlog.
Times
02-07-2025
- Politics
- Times
Home Office warns end of Afghan scheme risks more small boats
A government decision to close without warning two schemes for Afghans to apply for sanctuary could increase the number of illegal migrants heading to Britain on small boats, according to a Home Office policy paper. The potential decision by desperate Afghans forced to flee the Taliban by illegal means would result in 'wider costs' to taxpayers, the explanatory memorandum to a statement of changes to the immigration rules outlines. There was a deliberate choice to end the schemes with 'no notice' to 'prevent a spike in last-minute applications and mitigate against an increase to the backlog of outstanding applications', officials admitted. Ministers were accused by campaigners on Tuesday of 'perverse' treatment of Afghans after the government abruptly ended the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (Arap) for those who had helped Britain to fight the Taliban. The Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS), designed to help vulnerable people and those who assisted British efforts in Afghanistan to legally come to safety in Britain, was also closed. Campaigners said the applicants had no warning that the schemes would cease to exist at 3pm on Tuesday. The deadline for applications was buried in a 138-page Home Office statement of changes to the immigration rules published on the same day. Now it has emerged in an explanatory note that there is a risk that the closure of Arap will merely displace applications from the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to the Home Office, either in the form of asylum claims, considerations for leave outside the rules or other applications on family and human rights grounds. 'Similarly, there is a risk that eligible individuals will remain at risk or will seek to use irregular routes, including small boats, following the closure of Arap,' the paper says. 'The latter would result in wider costs to government. However, it is not currently possible to estimate these potential impacts.' • Migrant Channel crossings hit a record 20,000 in six months It adds that the MoD had received 13,000 principal applications since October and that applications were still being received. 'The impact of the closure of the scheme with no notice period will prevent a spike in last-minute applications and mitigate against an increase to the backlog of outstanding applications that need to be considered for eligibility by the MoD,' the paper says.
The Independent
01-07-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Afghan resettlement schemes to close to new applications under rule changes
Resettlement schemes for Afghans to come to the UK after the Taliban takeover will be closed as ministers seek to focus defence efforts on the nation's security. New immigration rule changes laid in Parliament on Tuesday move to end the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (Arap), for Afghans who had worked with the UK government and their families, to new applications from July 1. Some 21,316 Afghans have been resettled to the UK through Arap since it was launched in April 2021. The Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS), designed to help vulnerable people and those who assisted the UK efforts in Afghanistan to legally come to safety in the UK, will also be closed. The scheme formally opened in January 2022 with a pledge by the then-Conservative government to resettle up to 20,000 people 'over the coming years'. Documents on Tuesday show more than 12,800 people have been resettled through ACRS, with children making up more than half the arrivals, and women accounting for a quarter. The closure comes as Defence Secretary John Healey said in December that the schemes cannot be an 'endless process', adding: 'The Government intends to reach a position where the UK Afghan resettlement schemes can be closed.' A Home Office paper published on Tuesday said: 'He now considers the Arap to have fulfilled its original purpose and can be closed to new principal applications, not least so that defence efforts and resources can be focused where they are most needed - on our nation's security, to combat the acute threats and destabilising behaviour of our adversaries.' The document said Arap's closure to new applications is the first step to completing Afghan resettlement, and the Government aims to have 'successfully honoured its obligation' to complete resettlements by the end of this Parliament. But head of campaigns at Safe Passage International, Gunes Kalkan, said the charity was 'shocked' by the closure of the 'lifeline for those who continue to be persecuted and forced into hiding from the Taliban'. He said: 'This Government is abandoning the original promise to bring 20,000 Afghans to safety. In fact, falling far short and leaving people, including the children and families we support, in dangerous situations with no hope of rescue. 'This comes as the Government is also committed to stopping refugees crossing the Channel to reach the UK.' As Afghans make up one of the top nationalities to make the dangerous journey, Mr Kalkan said 'we'll only see more people risking their lives'. 'Instead of closing down safe routes, this Government must open more and continue to help Afghans to reach protection and loved ones.' Applications made under Arap before the closure will still be considered, the Home Office document added, as the Ministry of Defence currently has a backlog of 22,000 decisions from the scheme. Referrals made under ACRS's Separated Families pathways will also still be considered where decisions have not yet been reached. The document added the Government will honour commitments to anyone found eligible, and to those who are deemed eligible but are not yet in the UK. The Ministry of Defence has been contacted for comment.
