Build On Goodwill And Extend Refugee Scheme To Afghans, Ministers Told

Britain’s Homes for Ukraine scheme should be extended to Afghans, ministers have been told, with Conservative MPs describing it as an “enormous opportunity” to shift the country’s approach to refugees.

- May Bulman

The government should “build on the extraordinary wave of goodwill” shown by the British public following the launch of the sponsorship programme, which allows Ukrainians to be hosted by UK residents, to speed up the resettlement of thousands of Afghans evacuated from Kabul last summer, Conservative MPs and civic society groups have said.

Around 14,000 Afghan nationals were evacuated from the country last August following the Taliban takeover and brought to the UK under a scheme dubbed Operation Warm Welcome. Some 12,000 are still in hotels waiting to be placed in permanent accommodation at a cost to the taxpayer of £1.2m per day.

The Homes for Ukraine scheme, launched on 18 March, has seen more than 150,000 members of the British public come forward and offer to accommodate Ukrainian refugees who have been forced to flee their homes due to Vladimir Putin’s invasion.

Refugees minister Richard Harrington confirmed on Monday that around 20,000 applications had so far been received under the scheme.

In an open letter to minister for levelling up Michael Gove, more than 60 politicians, think tanks and charities say the numbers offering to host will likely surpass the number of Ukrainians who seek refuge in the UK, and that the “welcoming spirit” should therefore be extended to Afghans.