Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many calls have been made to the helpline for non-British nationals in need of assistance in Afghanistan as of 7 September 2021; what the average wait time has been for calls to be answered to that helpline; and what assessment she has made of the potential merits of her Department making that helpline free to call.
From 20 August 2021 to 7 September 2021 there have been 5,357,322 calls made (offered) to the helpline. The Home Office brought in 250 extra staff to help ensure average waiting times were kept to a minimum.
The telephone number (02475 389 980) is a geographical number therefore call charges vary depending on the phone provider and whether a landline or mobile is used to make the call. Further information can be found on GOV.UK at: www.gov.uk/call-charges
When setting up the helpline the primarily focus was to ensure it was easily accessible for those calling from the UK and abroad – A freephone option would not have provided that accessibility.
The department continues to closely monitor and review the volume of calls being made to the helpline; as the volumes have significantly reduced over this period there is currently no scope to move the helpline to a freephone number however this decision will remain under review.