Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to (a) support Afghan nationals after their six months leave to remain in the UK ends and (b) provide information, advice and support for those people prior to the end of their leave to remain.

The Home Office has written to Afghan families advising them of the next steps to progress permanent residence in the UK.

The Home Office has established a dedicated caseworking team, which is working jointly with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the Ministry of Defence. This team will contact those here in the UK under the Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy and those moving onto the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme, to assist them to obtain Indefinite Leave to Remain status.

While families are being accommodated in Bridging Hotel accommodation, we remain committed to ensuring that there essential living needs are being met.

We also have Home Office Liaison Officers (HOLO’s) allocated to Bridging Hotel Accommodation.

The role of the HOLO is to provide both face to face support and remote support when not physically present. They are reactive to the needs of those accommodated in hotels and can provide signposting to other government departments and Local Authorities and ensure safeguarding concerns are appropriately acted upon.