Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to (a) urgently move families evacuated from Afghanistan in August 2021 out of hotel accommodation and (b) enable families to retain reasonable proximity and connection with each other.

We are working at pace across government and with local authorities (LAs) to source appropriate accommodation for Afghan families who were evacuated to the UK.

Once properties are identified and referred to the Home Office, a matching exercise is undertaken which enables us to offer the property to a suitable family. Where possible, we will match families from local bridging hotels allowing them to remain in the area where they may have started to form connections and settle.

The Department for Levelling Up Housing and Communities have set up an online housing portal Afghanistan housing portal - offers of support - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) to allow people to submit offers of housing support for people who have arrived from Afghanistan. We are also engaging with landlords, letting agencies and industry bodies to promote the portal and encourage participation in the resettlement programme.

This includes a partnership with Rightmove to identify potential properties available in the private rented sector, providing councils with additional information to source appropriate properties.

We give families seven days’ notice of their move to long-term accommodation. This allows families time to prepare and discuss any concerns with their Home Office Liaison Officer. We also make them aware of their LA contacts.

Once families move, LAs will support them to settle and integrate, into their new community including help accessing local services such as a GP, schools and employment.

To assist with the successful integration of families to life in the UK we are piloting a ‘Jobs First Pilot’ in partnership with the Department of Work and Pensions. This pilot went live on 31 January. Participants will receive a range of support from Work Coaches to move into work. Importantly, participants will also receive support from a specialist cross government case working team to tackle non-employment barriers. LAs and charities are also actively supporting the pilot. The focus on both employment and non-employment barriers that prevent the take up of job offers will, it is hoped, increase the likelihood of a person moving into work, either in their current geographical area or in another part of the country.

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