Tag: Home Office

Drug gangs across the UK were targeted in a national police operation last week, leading to 250 county lines being taken down and 1,613 arrests.

The County Lines Intensification Week, co-ordinated by the NPCC-led National County Lines Coordination Centre (NCLCC), also saw 103kg of cannabis seized, alongside 40kg of Class A drugs worth over £1.2 million, 33 firearms, 377 bladed weapons, and over £1.2 million in cash, as forces made large gains against these gangs and the products that finance their exploitative criminality.

710 vulnerable people, including 58 children were also referred by police to safeguarding services through the national operation. Exploitation, coercion, and violence are cornerstones of the county lines trade, and cannabis is used by gangs to trap young people into debt, forcing them to transport their drugs and sell to other children to continue the cycle. By rescuing these vulnerable people from the grip of these gangs and helping them into support services such as the Home Office-funded Catch 22, this cycle of violence and abuse is being broken.

In one operation attended by the Home Secretary during the National Police Chiefs’ Councils (NPCC) Intensification Week in the West Midlands, £850,000 worth of cannabis was seized from cannabis factories, with more than 850 plants and nearly 6kg of dried cannabis recovered.

Last week’s enforcement successes come as new Home Office statistics show that since April 2022, 1,700 lines have been taken down though the government’s County Lines Programme, alongside 3,300 arrests and 4,100 vulnerable people referred to support services, highlighting the success law enforcement, government and support services are having in bringing down this heinous criminality.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman said:

Vile thugs running county lines drug gangs blight our communities and groom the most vulnerable in society for their personal gain.

Our police officers are working every day to break up these criminal networks pushing illegal drugs on our streets, and since April 2022 they have shut down over 1,700 county lines through the County Lines Programme.

My message is clear. We will not tolerate illegal drugs of any kind, and we must rid our communities of these criminals.

National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for County Lines, Commander Paul Brogden, said:

County Lines drug dealing destroys lives, and we are committed to tackling the supply of illegal drugs, and the exploitation and violence that is frequently associated with it.

County Lines remains a top priority for policing and our latest intensification week figures show significant inroads policing has made into these criminal networks with 250 county lines closed during the week. Not only that, but we have continued to go after the line holders and arrested over 1,600 criminals involved in county lines and taken extremely dangerous weapons, including 33 firearms off the street.

Our message is clear to anyone running county lines across the country: we will be relentless in our pursuit of you, we will shut down your county lines, we will take drugs off our streets and we will rescue those who are being exploited by you.

The intensification week, which ran from Monday 9 October to Sunday 15 October, saw:

• 250 county lines taken down
• 1,613 people arrested
• 458 weapons seized, including 33 firearms, 377 bladed weapons, 3 crossbows, 21 batons and 28 knuckle dusters
• over £1.2 million worth of Class A and Class B drugs seized
• £437,000 worth of crack cocaine, £100,000 worth of heroin, 40kg of cocaine and 103kg of cannabis seized
• £1,284,729.88 in cash seized

The government established the County Lines Programme in 2019 to tackle the abusive and violent county lines trade, providing forces and victim support services a clear strategy to end the terror these gangs inflict on our streets. Adopted by the 4 forces that face the majority of county lines criminality – Metropolitan Police, Merseyside, Greater Manchester and West Midlands Police – the County Lines Programme closed over 1,700 lines between April 2022 and June 2023, achieving in just over a year 85% of the 3-year target set in the 2021 Drug Strategy.

Key to the programme is victim support, and the government has put up to £5 million into services such as Catch 22 and Missing People’s SafeCall service to help young people and their families as they escape these gangs. To continue to help these victim support services and front-line workers, updated guidance has also been published by the Home Office today that will aid the identification of potential victims and appropriate safeguarding referral routes, and ensure those who are in need receive help.

James Simmonds-Read, National Programme Manager at the Children’s Society, said:

Criminals groom young people in person or online and use terrifying threats and violence to force them into crimes such as carrying drugs and fraud or exploiting them sexually.

This Awareness Week we want to highlight how exploitation can happen to any young person, anywhere, and as the nights draw in, we especially urge people to spot the signs of exploitation in public places after dark.

Young people can be targeted at fast food outlets, forced to travel on trains and in taxis late at night, and are abused behind closed doors, in hotels and holiday lets.

Whether you are on a night out, commuting home, staying overnight for a business trip, or working as a driver or in customer service, you could be the one that gets help.

Call the police on 101 or 999 if there is an immediate risk. If on a train text British Transport Police on 61016. Alternatively, you can contact the NSPCC for advice on 0808 800 5000.

Repeat serious users of nitrous oxide could face up to 2 years in prison and dealers up to 14 years, as the government delivers on its zero-tolerance approach to antisocial behaviour.

The ban, promised as part of the government’s Anti-Social Behaviour Action Plan, will make nitrous oxide a controlled Class C drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.

Secondary legislation due to be laid today will mean possession of nitrous oxide, where a person intends to wrongfully inhale it – for example ‘to get high’ – will be an offence. Consequences could include:

• an unlimited fine
• a visible community punishment
• a caution – which would appear on their criminal record
• a prison sentence for repeat serious offenders

Earlier this year, the Home Secretary urged police forces to get tough on flagrant drug taking in local communities, with reports linking nitrous oxide to antisocial behaviour such as intimidating gatherings on high streets and in children’s parks, often leaving empty canisters scattered across public spaces.

Heavy, regular abuse of the drug also poses significant health risks for users including anaemia and in more severe cases, nerve damage or paralysis. It has been identified as having potentially fatal consequences on the UK’s roads from incidents of drug driving.

Crime and Policing Minister Chris Philp said:

We are delivering on the promise we made to take a zero-tolerance approach towards antisocial behaviour and flagrant drug taking in our public spaces.

Abuse of nitrous oxide is also dangerous to people’s health and today we are sending a clear signal to young people that there are consequences for misusing drugs. Both users and dealers will face the full force of the law for their actions.

There are still many necessary uses for nitrous oxide and those with a legitimate reason for possessing the substance will be exempt from the ban. For example, it will continue to be lawful for catering purposes and in maternity wards when used as pain relief during labour.

Licences will not be required to carry nitrous oxide, but individual users will need to demonstrate they are lawfully in possession of nitrous oxide and not intending to consume it for psychoactive effects.

The maximum sentence for production, supply importation or exportation of the drug for unlawful purposes has now doubled, from 7 to 14 years’ imprisonment.

As is already the case, there is also a responsibility on legitimate producers and suppliers of nitrous oxide to not be reckless as to whether someone is buying their product to misuse, with no legitimate reason. Turning a blind eye will be committing an offence.

CEO of Neighbourhood Watch John Hayward-Cripps said:

At Neighbourhood Watch, we support the government’s ban on nitrous oxide under new legislation from the 8th of November.

As consumption of nitrous oxide has increased over the years, there has been a connected increase in reports of antisocial behaviour, including the littering of nitrous oxide canisters. For communities across the country, the banning of the substance under new legislation will be a positive move towards tackling antisocial behaviour, and making local communities a better and safer place to live.

Once the legislation has come into effect, we encourage members of the public to report any illegal consumption of nitrous oxide or other drugs to their local police.

CEO of Night-time Industries Association Michael Kill said:

We welcome the announcement by the government today that nitrous oxide is set to be banned under new government legislation by the 8th of November, but recognise that this must work hand in hand with a much broader education and harm reduction strategy on drugs across the country.

The burden on businesses has been substantial, as they’ve contended with mounting pressure from authorities and residents due to the proliferation of discarded silver canisters on the streets.

This predicament has not only posed risks to the wellbeing of both staff and patrons but has also fostered an environment conducive to petty crime, antisocial behaviour, and the activities of organised crime syndicates.

Co-chairing the meeting with Bishop Derek Webley, the Home Secretary thanked the members for the important role they have played to ensure significant progress has been made following the Windrush Lessons Learned Review and the challenge they have provided to shape and improve the Home Office’s response, in the interests of the Windrush generation.

The Windrush Working Group was set up in June 2020 to bring together stakeholders and community leaders with senior representatives from several government departments. Their 3-year term expires at the end of September.

Today’s meeting, at the Home Office on Marsham Street, involved discussions looking back on celebrations of the 75th anniversary of the arrival of MV Empire Windrush in June, reflections on the work and achievements of the group, future planning to ensure the group’s contribution to government policy is long lasting and embedded, and an update on future engagement and outreach with the Windrush community.

The Home Secretary reiterated that, despite the group’s term coming to an end, the government remains committed to learning the lessons of Windrush and ensuring those affected receive the compensation they deserve.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman said:

The Windrush Working group have made a huge contribution to ensure we learn the lessons of the Windrush scandal. Over the past 3 years their insight, collaboration and challenge have been vital in shaping the Home Office’s response.

I have deeply valued their advice and it has been an honour to work constructively alongside them. I’d like to thank them for their dedication to the Windrush community and determination to see progress.

I am proud of what has been achieved so far, but our commitment does not end here. We will continue with unwavering focus to see further improvements and that all those affected receive compensation.

The group have been integral to seeing improvements made to the Windrush Compensation Scheme to ensure individuals affected receive significantly more money, more quickly.

Their contribution led to a major overhaul in December 2020, which included a raising of the minimum payment from £250 to £10,000, which is paid as a preliminary payment as soon as someone applying can demonstrate an impact on their life under the terms of the scheme, whilst their claim is considered in full.

A significant increase in the impact on life category was also introduced, raising it at every level, with the highest award possible increasing from £10,000 to £100,000 – since this, over £76 million has been paid out or offered, in contrast to a total of just under £3 million prior to those changes.

Feedback from the group led to major simplification of the compensation application process when claim forms were redesigned and published in 2021 and 2022, to make it more straightforward for claimants to detail their experiences.

A further result of their feedback led to increased staffing being added to the compensation scheme. This led to a drastic reduction in the time taken to allocate a claim to a caseworker for a final decision, having completed necessary initial checks and investigation, from 18 months to 4 months.

Statistics published this month show that £67.59 million has been paid out by the end of July 202 across 1,820 claims. A further £11.71 million has been offered, awaiting acceptance, or pending review. This totals over £79 million paid or offered.

Bishop Derek Webley, co-chair of the Windrush Working Group, said:

The last 3 years have been challenging for all of us on the Working Group. But collectively, we worked hard to right as many wrongs as we could in the time available.

So, I would like to put on record my thanks to Home Secretaries with whom I have worked closely, Rt Hon.Priti Patel, Rt Hon. Suella Braverman and to my fellow members who have dedicated their energy, time and commitment to this important cause.

I also want to pay tribute to Wendy Williams, CBE, for her support and guidance; and to the Race Disparity Unit in the Cabinet Office for the critical role they played in helping me and the stakeholder members drive forward some of the crucial changes that needed to be made.

Although there is more to do, and the Home Office has assured us that the work will continue, I am pleased that we can conclude this cross-government group knowing that things are better now than when we started.

As Deputy Chair of the Windrush Commemoration Committee, Paulette Simpson – a Windrush Working Group member – played a crucial role in the development of the Windrush Monument in Waterloo station in 2022, which symbolises the courage, commitment and resilience of the thousands of men, women and children who travelled to the UK to start new lives from 1948 to 1971.

Elsewhere, the group advised on the design and delivery of the £500,000 Windrush Schemes Community Fund, which allowed community and grassroot organisations to bid for up to £25,000 to deliver projects encouraging applications to the Home Office’s documentation and compensation schemes. It also worked tirelessly around the UK and overseas through their networks and diplomatic contacts to promote the schemes.

The group has provided strategic insight into the Home Office’s response to Wendy Williams’ Windrush Lessons Learned Review, which was published in March 2019. In her progress report, published in March 2022, Wendy Williams concluded that 21 of her 30 recommendations had been met or partially met, and acknowledged that the scale of the challenge the department had been set would take time.

Since her progress report, the Home Office has made significant progress in delivering a number of recommendations including those related to training for staff.

As the Home Office continues to learn the lessons and see a shift in the culture, it is natural that teams evolve, and this work has now become embedded in the department’s everyday business.

The Community Engagement Fund was relaunched on 1 August 2023. £150,000 is available to charities and community or grassroots organisations to raise awareness for the Windrush schemes and gain insight around barriers to applying. Successful applicants, who will receive a grant between £5,000 and £10,000, will be announced later this year after the application process closed on 30 August 2023.

The Home Secretary Suella Braverman has urged Meta not to roll out end-to-end encryption on its platforms without robust safety measures that ensure children are protected from sexual abuse and exploitation in messaging channels.

Meta has publicly announced plans to roll out end-to-end encryption on Instagram and Facebook Messenger imminently which will put children across the UK at risk of being targeted and groomed online by predators.

Currently, 800 predators a month are arrested by UK law enforcement agencies and up to 1,200 children are safeguarded from child sexual abuse following information provided by social media companies. If Meta proceeds with their plans, they will no longer be able to detect child abuse on their platforms as they currently do, and the National Crime Agency (NCA) estimates 92% of Facebook Messenger and 85% of Instagram Direct referrals could be lost – meaning thousands of criminals a year could go undetected.

Now the Home Secretary, alongside the Security Minister Tom Tugendhat and Safeguarding Minister Sarah Dines, has called directly on Meta to urgently commit to installing safety measures on its platforms to protect children from vile attackers, or halt the planned rollout altogether.

The campaign has been backed by a raft of prominent charities and organisations who have united to support it, including the NSPCC, Marie Collins Foundation and the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF).

In partnership with the IWF, the Home Office has also published a guide for parents) to advise them how best to keep their children safe if Meta does implement end-to-end encryption on the messaging service of Facebook and Instagram without appropriate child safety measures.

The government is supportive of new technology, privacy and end-to-end encryption, but ministers are clear that encryption needs to be accompanied by safety measures that would enable the detection of grooming and child sexual abuse material.

Together with our international allies, the UK continues to urge tech companies to work with governments to find solutions to ensure the safety of our citizens, without eroding user privacy or cyber security. The government has always been clear that companies should maintain their ability to identify child sexual abuse on their platforms and ensure that law enforcement have the information they need to bring offenders to justice.

That is  why the UK is a signatory to the International Statement on End-to-End Encryption and Public Safety, signed in October 2020 by the governments of Australia, Canada, India, Japan, New Zealand, the UK and the United States.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman said:

The use of strong encryption for online users remains a vital part of our digital world and I support it, so does the government, but it cannot come at a cost to our children’s safety.

Meta has failed to provide assurances that they will keep their platforms safe from sickening abusers. They must develop appropriate safeguards to sit alongside their plans for end-to-end encryption.

I have been clear time and time again, I am not willing to compromise on child safety.

We all have a responsibility to do what we can to tackle this devastating crime, and I urge them to work with the government.

Security Minister Tom Tugendhat said:

The UK is proudly pro-privacy, pro-innovation and pro-security. We are also committed to protecting children online and ruthlessly pursuing those who seek to harm them.

Our law enforcement agencies are working day and night to crack down on child sexual abusers.

The efforts of tech companies are crucial to their success. They have great influence over our lives, and with that power comes the responsibility to work with us to tackle this despicable abuse.

A new film features testimony of a survivor of child sexual exploitation online, Rhiannon-Faye McDonald, who makes a personal appeal to Mark Zuckerberg to act and prevent more children from suffering from the abuse she endured online.

It also hears from child safety experts John Carr, Secretary of the Children’s Charities Coalition on Internet Safety, and Simon Bailey, Director of the Child Rescue Coalition and former Chief Constable and National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for child protection.

Susie Hargreaves OBE, Chief Executive of the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF), said:

It’s vital we do not give criminals and abusers anywhere to hide. We’ve seen the proliferation of this imagery accelerate in recent years. Knowingly switching off the lights on detecting child sexual abuse, and leaving whole spaces free for abusers to exploit would be a dangerous step.

We’ve always been of the view that advances in technology must not mean taking a backwards step for child safety. The tech exists now to prevent the sharing of child sexual abuse imagery without impacting on user privacy.

We urge companies looking to introduce end-to-end encryption to their services to think carefully about the impact on younger, vulnerable users, and to build in the safety features we’d expect in other areas of lives. They have shown what can be done to make their platforms safer and more user friendly, and it’s time to extend this to preventing the global spread of child sexual abuse.

This new development comes after the Home Secretary outlined her concerns to Meta in a letter co-signed by technology experts, law enforcement, survivors and leading child safety charities in July 2023.

In her letter, the Home Secretary emphasised the government is supportive of end-to-end encryption, but not without safety measures that would enable the detection of grooming and child sexual abuse material.

She also made specific requests for detailed evidence of how they would maintain vital child safety protections in messaging channels under end-to-end encryption.

The company was unable to provide this evidence, and as a result, the Home Secretary is concerned that robust child safety measures are not in place under the proposed plans.

Implementing end-to-end encryption on messaging apps means that messages would only ever be seen by the sender and receiver. This will mean that the company will no longer be able to prevent child sexual abuse occurring in those channels – providing sick predators with a safe space to groom and target children together.

Although Meta has previously set a leading example on child safety within the technology industry, ensuring that critical evidence of these crimes is provided to law enforcement agencies through the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), the company is now turning its back on years of progress.

The government is pro-innovation, and the use of strong encryption is a vital part of our digital world, but this cannot come at the cost of child safety.

The Home Secretary is urging Meta to put its innovative and technological prowess into developing innovations which allow for the detection of child sexual abuse material in encrypted environments, thus maintaining the utmost privacy for users, while maintaining vital safeguards for vulnerable children.

The government, tech experts and wider industry partners have already demonstrated that it is possible to develop this technology through the Safety Tech Challenge Fund, which resulted in the development of 5 proof of concept tools of this nature.

Big tech has the capability and resources to pioneer further progress and cannot act quickly enough. Home Office data shows there were almost 34,485 offences relating to online indecent images of children in the year ending December 2022, an increase of 13% from last year.

Meanwhile, the NCA estimates there are up to 830,000 people in the UK who could pose a sexual threat to children, either through online or in-person abuse.

NCA Director of General Threats, James Babbage, said:

For many years, Meta have supported law enforcement by referring instances of child sexual abuse to NCMEC in the US. As a direct result of these referrals, we are able to safeguard children and arrest offenders.

However, if Meta implements end-to-end encryption as planned, it will make their platforms less safe for children and massively reduce our collective ability to protect them.

We are not asking for new or additional law enforcement access, we simply ask that Meta retains the ability to keep working with us to identify and help prevent abuse. This collaboration remains absolutely vital.

Recent data from the IWF shows the fastest-growing age group appearing in online child sexual abuse imagery is 7- to 10-year-olds and IWF data also shows prevalence of the most severe forms of online child sexual abuse have more than doubled since 2020.

There are over 400,000 searches for online child sexual abuse material every month in the UK.

Sir Peter Wanless, NSPCC Chief Executive, said:

We hear from Childline and survivors how offenders actively move children they have targeted on open platforms to end- to-end encrypted services to groom and ultimately abuse them.

Victims say this amounts to their privacy and safety rights being eroded.

Our polling shows the UK public overwhelmingly support measures to tackle child abuse in end-to-end encrypted environments.

Tech firms should be showing industry leadership by listening to the public and investing in technology that protects both the safety and privacy rights of all users.

Refugees, including people from Syria, Iran, Eritrea and Sudan, can now apply to a new government programme to gain the skills they need to enter the UK job market and lead independent lives.

The government’s new £52 million Refugee Employability Programme aims to overcome the barriers faced by refugees to integrate into local communities and society, including language and cultural differences, and speed up their contribution to the UK economy. Afghans resettled in England under either ACRS and ARAP will also be eligible to apply to the programme.

The programme will operate for two years and will provide enhanced support to refugees and Afghans across employment, English Language training and integration, to build up their confidence and skills to find work and secure better prospects for themselves and their families.

Through the new Refugee Employability Programme, people will receive a personal development plan that will be tailored to their ambitions and personal circumstances. This will range from skills courses, support with CV writing and job applications, work experience opportunities, and enhanced English language training, including access to formal and informal classes, online learning and resources and conversational classes.

For people who do not already receive integration support, the programme will help them access public services, including a GP and a job centre, local community groups and mental health support. Doing so will help vulnerable refugees to rebuild their lives in the UK and put them on the path to self-sufficiency.

This is in addition to eligible refugees having the right to work in the UK, access to public services and claim benefits, including Universal Credit.

Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick said:

We want refugees and Afghans who have come to the UK legally and safely to have every opportunity to enter the world of work and contribute to our economy and society.

Our new Refugee Employability Programme strengthens the support available to those who have come here on safe and legal routes, giving them the skills and knowledge needed to build a long-term and independent future for themselves and their families, and to fully integrate into their communities.

Broadly, refugees are over 20% less likely to be in employment than Brits, with this gap significantly widening for refugee women who are 30% less likely to be in work.  The government’s Refugee Employability Programme aims to reduce this gap by providing people with the skills and experience they need to gain employment and give back to society.

The Programme is open to all those granted refugee status in the UK or those who have been granted Indefinite Leave to Remain through one of the government’s safe and legal humanitarian routes. This includes the United Kingdom Resettlement Scheme (UKRS), Afghan Citizen Resettlement Scheme (ACRS), Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy Scheme (ARAP) the Community Sponsorship Scheme, Mandate Resettlement Scheme, and Family Reunion.

The Refugee Employability Programme was designed in consultation with refugees and organisations in the refugee support sector to complement existing provisions already available to help refugees rebuild their lives in the UK.

It builds on the significant package of support the government has put in place to help refugees and resettled Afghans. This includes Operation Warm Welcome, which was set up after the evacuation of Afghanistan to provide support for Afghan arrivals, and included additional funding to enable them to access healthcare, rental top-ups and a portal where the public could submit offers of housing and work, amongst others.

Read more about the Refugee Employability Programme

The vast majority of families have moved into housing or been matched to a property, enabling them to rebuild their lives here.

All 55 hotels being used to house around 8,000 Afghans at the end of March were no longer being used as bridging accommodation by 31 August. This followed a significant cross-government effort to help families find homes, working closely with Local Authorities and third sector partners. These hotels are now being retuned for use by their communities, acting as a boost for local economies.

From April, the government served notice to quit to all Afghans living in bridging accommodation. As of 31 August 2023, there were no families remaining in bridging hotels. 85% of families had been moved or matched to settled accommodation, with the remainder being supported by Local Authorities or in interim accommodation due to medical reasons.

The government have used innovative and generous schemes, which has resulted in many Afghans moving into the private rental sector and others moving into reappropriated Service Family Accommodation.

The government also provided a £250 million expansion of the Local Authority Housing Fund to address immediate pressures and increase the supply of permanent accommodation. This is on track to deliver over 1,200 homes for Afghan families across England this year, alongside homes for other cohorts, building a sustainable stock of affordable housing for the future.

Hotel accommodation was never intended to be a permanent solution. It was costing UK taxpayers around £1 million per day, and preventing Afghan families from moving on with the next chapter of their lives. With many families living in hotels for around two years, some of whom struggled to put down roots as a result, Local Authorities and NGOs agreed that moving Afghans into housing was the right thing to do.

Local Authorities were supported with a generous £35 million government funding package to increase the support available to Afghans and help overcome the specific barriers they face in accessing the housing system.

In addition, a dedicated housing portal was established to allow private landlords to offer their properties to families and empower Afghans to search for their own housing. Having come to the UK through safe and legal routes, all those under ACRS and ARAP have indefinite leave to remain in the UK, the right to work and access to benefits and public services.

Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick said:

Two years ago we undertook one of the largest evacuations in recent history, bringing 15,000 people from Afghanistan to safety in the UK at short notice.

Through the tireless work of our dedicated Home Office staff we have now provided these Afghans with the homes they need to begin the next chapter of their life in the UK. Not only can Afghan families now fully integrate, find employment, and provide their children with stability, ending the temporary use of hotels will save the hardworking taxpayer millions of pounds and return them to their proper use by the community and local businesses.

Veterans Minister Johnny Mercer said:

Ensuring those who stood side by side with us in Afghanistan can rebuild their lives in homes across the UK has been a matter close to my heart, and I’m proud of the significant cross-government effort that has achieved this welcome outcome.

Families can now look towards a stable future, whilst taxpayers can be assured that they are no longer footing the bill for 55 costly bridging hotels.

This is a government committed to delivery, that will always act in the best interests of families and the public.

Shamal, who was resettled in North Wales with his family, said:

The Home Office suggested a house up in North Wales to me, and the moving process was really smooth. My family and I have adjusted to life here and we’re really happy in our new home. The local community and especially our new neighbours have been really welcoming and have shown us real kindness. When I think back to a year ago, I can’t believe how different our lives are.

As Minister Mercer announced in July, the government will continue to provide interim accommodation to a minority of resettled Afghans up until the end of the year, where they are either waiting to move into a property which is not currently ready, or a family member requires medical treatment at a specific hospital.

As of 31 August, over 80% of those staying in time-limited interim accommodation were already matched to a property that will be ready to move into before the end of December, with families moving out each week.

Despite the substantial support available, some Afghan families have been unable to make their own arrangements and have made homelessness applications to Local Authorities. Some councils have moved these families into their own temporary accommodation instead of utilising the government’s interim accommodation offer.

As a result, Local Authorities in England reported that 188 households were living in temporary accommodation, as of 31 August. This accounts for less than 10% of those living in bridging hotels at the time notices to quit were issued. Of those in homeless temporary accommodation, around one quarter have said they have a property lined up to move into over the coming weeks.

The government will continue to offer generous support to all households in temporary accommodation, so they can move into permanent accommodation and rebuild their lives here. However, it is only right that families are made a maximum of one accommodation offer through the Home Office matching process.

For those who present as homeless, legislation under the Housing Act 1996 provides a safety net, placing a duty on Local Authorities to ensure families are not left without a roof over their heads. £9,150 per household has been made available to councils from the government for families who present as homeless to support with temporary housing and administration costs. This is in addition to the £2 billion available over 3 years to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping more broadly.

The government has so far brought over 24,600 individuals to the UK from Afghanistan, who all deserve every opportunity to rebuild their lives here.