Source · Select Committees · Women and Equalities Committee
Recommendation 34
34
Not Addressed
Paragraph: 211
Commission and publish independent review and equality impact assessment of the Afghan refugee resettlement approach.
Recommendation
Accommodation of Afghan refugees in bridging hotels for many months has been deeply problematic, with serious safeguarding issues for people with vulnerabilities arising from protected characteristics, including women and children enduring crowded conditions alongside single men. For many, integration and employment support has been entirely lacking. The lessons of the Afghan resettlement programme must be learnt so that mistakes are not repeated in future migrant crises. The Government should commission, and publish within six months, an independent review and equality impact assessment of its approach to the resettlement of people from Afghanistan, including the funding model, use of hotels as bridging accommodation, and the integration support package.
Government Response Summary
The government details the support, funding, and services provided to Afghan refugees, stating that resettlement schemes are continuously monitored internally. However, it does not commit to commissioning or publishing an independent review and equality impact assessment within six months, as recommended.
Paragraph Reference:
211
Government Response
Not Addressed
HM Government
Not Addressed
In relation to the recommendation at paragraph 211, all eligible individuals brought to the UK under the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) and the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) have the right to work, access to education and healthcare and are able to access public funds. The Government provides a warm welcome to Afghans arriving in the UK, providing families with accommodation, food, integration support, English lessons, and healthcare. All those on ACRS and ARAP are granted with Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), along with all the associated benefits. The Government is providing a substantial level of funding to local authorities so they can provide a package of support to help families rebuild their lives and integrate into communities. This includes new government funding of £285 million, to speed up the move into settled accommodation consisting of: £35 million for local authorities, which will go towards increasing the level of support available and overcoming the barriers to private rented accommodation; and a £250 million expansion to the Local Authority Housing Fund to help councils source homes to house Afghans currently in bridging accommodation. Once households are in settled accommodation, local authorities will be able to access further funding to support integration to help families integrate into life in the UK, which includes; £20,520 per person (over three years), up to £4,500 per child in the first year to cover education, £850 for adults requiring English language support, £2,600 to cover healthcare costs in the first year. Dedicated cross-government casework teams, made up of Home Office Liaison Officers and Department for Work and Pensions staff, are based in hotels and work alongside local authority officials to provide advice to Afghans, including information on how to rent in the private sector, support people find jobs and English language training. The safety and welfare of those who are resettling or relocating in the UK is of paramount importance to us. Alongside this, all our resettlement and relocation schemes are continuously monitored to inform delivery and ensure any adjustments to the policy are made in a timely manner.