Securing a 'warm welcome' for Afghans in the UK
Securing a 'warm welcome' for Afghans in the UK
"They had left everything behind, families, homes and most of their belongings… they could only bring a 10kg bag irrespective of the size of the family. For those with babies this meant they arrived only with a small supply of baby formula and nappies… in essence they had nothing but the clothes they travelled in."
Back in August 2021, this statement by then Prime Minister Boris Johnson captured the UK Government’s initial commitment to evacuating and resettling Afghan men, women and children fleeing their homeland following the fall of Kabul to the Taliban. Under Operation Pitting, around 15,000 people were successfully evacuated from Afghanistan, including both Afghans and British nationals.
Through what was dubbed ‘Operation Warm Welcome’, the UK Government pledged to help Afghan arrivals rebuild their lives in the UK, and to support their integration by granting them Indefinite Leave to Remain as well as access to accommodation, education and healthcare. In order to do so, the UK Government set up two schemes: The Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) and the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS).
This briefing documents the experience and expertise of the SVP’s frontline volunteers and members who stepped up to welcome, help and support Afghan citizens resettled in the UK. Working with Afghan families and various partners, they gained an informed understanding of the key difficulties, challenges and barriers to integration the Afghans encountered. The insights and recommendations that follow are a direct result of their commitment and determination.
Operation Warm Welcome and Afghan
resettlement schemes