Council support for Afghan resettlement

Current context

Councils have welcomed over 30,000 Afghan arrivals over the last three and a half years alongside other asylum and resettlement schemes. Previous schemes have aligned to form the Afghan Resettlement Programme (ARP) from 1 March with all new arrivals and arrivals those in transitional accommodation moving to the new programme. 

Key current asks of councils

Councils are asked to work together and with Strategic Migration Partnerships (SMPs)

• on delivery against a regional level allocation of new Afghan arrivals over the next 12 months, with all councils asked to play a more active role in supporting move on from initial or ‘transitional accommodation’ to permanent homes
• on agreeing how some councils within a region to support Government-led procurement of transitional accommodation, which can include hotels, for new arrivals expected over the next few weeks as part of that allocation, or outlining current or future willingness to directly provide this accommodation

SMPS have been asked to return initial responses by 4 April 2025. 
 

Further details

• Time spent in ‘transitional’ or initial, temporary accommodation will be limited to nine months. Advice and casework support will be provided by councils to support the move on to more permanent or ‘settled’ housing, ideally close to the transitional accommodation.  
• Ministry of Defence is working with the relevant councils to close some of the serviced family accommodation currently being used as initial and permanent accommodation and agree potential support packages, with further closures expected.
• 6000-7000 Afghans arrivals expected over the next year until the programme closure (tbc), with new pre-departure work on life in the UK. Around 90 eligible families have arrived in the UK each month over the last year.
• For around the half of the families who have challenges finding their own homes due to family size or complex needs, the Government aims to fund settled housing via community sponsorship, from within the MoD estate and with additional capital funding via further rounds of Local Authority Housing Fund (LAHF) expected to be confirmed after the spending review. The remaining Afghan arrivals are expected to source their own home via the existing Find Your Own Accommodation (FYO) Pathway.

Funding

• Single tariff per arrival of £24,110 with payments across three years. In the first year, councils providing transitional accommodation will be able to claim an immediate £5,400 lump sum. Two further payments of £3,600 and £3,410 will be paid to either the transitional local authority or the settled in months 4 and 10 depending on which council is providing support at the time. Full funding instructions are to follow.
• New £3 million for case working  
• Healthcare tariff (£2,600 per person), and the education tariff (up to £5,130 per child aged 5-18 and up to £2,965 per child aged 3-4).

Councils have called for greater alignment across the previous programme and for greater engagement in programme developments. Government have committed to further joint work to amend the current per population based regional allocation so it includes wider pressures.

The LGA and councils are also calling for further clarity on funding available to councils willing to directly deliver transitional accommodation themselves and for further work on ensuring there is a supply of housing for large households or those with medical or social care needs. We are also keen to continue to work with government on keeping a watching brief on the impacts of the funding reduction, the nine months target for move on, the split of funding between the transitional and receiving authority and on ensuring ongoing access to sustainable accommodation and employment beyond the current three year funding.

Further information for councils

This page will be updated as more information for councils becomes available. Please contact your Strategic Migration Partnership for more information.