Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether his Department is taking steps to increase the level of support available to people from Hong Kong who have moved to the UK.

In 2021, the Department launched a UK-wide Welcome Programme to support Hong Kong BN(O) status holders to settle in the UK, and has recently announced continued funding for 2023/24. The Programme continues to provide a comprehensive support package with an easily accessible universal offer as its foundation, progressing to targeted support for those most in need.

The universal offer is open to all BN(O) visa holders in the UK and includes a network of 12 virtual Welcome Hubs across the UK, funding for voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations to deliver national and regional projects and a comprehensive Welcome Pack on GOV.UK. The Programme also funds targeted support provided by local authorities in England on a demand-led basis for those BN(O) individuals who require additional assistance with English language or where there is a risk of destitution.