Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps the Government is taking to support Afghan nationals relocated to the UK under the ex gratia redundancy and resettlement scheme; and whether such individuals are eligible for (a) university scholarships and (b) other sources of financial support on the same basis as individuals relocated under (i) the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy and (ii) the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme.

Through Operation Warm Welcome, Afghans who come to the UK under the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) and Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) will be supported in accessing accommodation and the vital health, education, and support into employment they need to fully integrate into society.

All individuals relocated to the UK under the Ex-Gratia Scheme are entitled to the same support package as those relocated through the ARAP - the scheme’s successor - including provisions under operation Warm Welcome, such as access to education and financial support.

Our officials are working at pace to see that all eligible individuals who arrived before, during and after the evacuation are granted ILR. Having already registered over 13,000 (and counting) applications for resettlement from Afghans, with Biometric Residence Permits being issued accordingly.

Whilst data on the number on applications to the Ex-Gratia scheme is not available in a reportable format, the recently published, 'Afghan Resettlement: Operational Data' factsheet shows that, at 12 Aug 2022:

• We have granted ILR to 11,303 individuals across ARAP and ACRS.
• We are unable, at this time, to provide a breakdown of whether a grant of leave was made under the ARAP or ACRS.
• The factsheet will be updated every quarter – with the next iteration scheduled for publication on 24 November 2022.

The Government provides a safe and legal route to bring families together, through its family reunion policy. This allows a partner, or spouse, and children under 18 of refugees granted protection in the UK, to join them here, if they formed part of the family unit before the sponsor fled their country. To support people in Afghanistan, that have family who have been granted protection in the UK, to understand their options, we have provided information on family reunion online, at:

Family reunion - GOV.UK

Those who are not eligible for protection under our resettlement schemes or family reunion policy, will need to apply to come to the UK under our existing economic or family migration rules, which can be viewed at:

https://www.gov.uk/browse/visas-immigration

To bolster the support we’ll offer to those eligible for relocation or family reunion in the UK, we intend to establish a diplomatic presence in Afghanistan as soon as the security and political situation in the country allows.