Refugee resettlement schemes

We work with the Home Office to resettle refugees in South Gloucestershire through different government funded schemes.

UK resettlement scheme

The Home Office established the UK resettlement scheme (UKRS) to identify the most vulnerable refugees who have been assessed for resettlement by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

Refugees nominated for resettlement in the UK are mainly vulnerable persons from the Middle East and North Africa but also from refugee camps in other areas.

We have pledged to resettle at least 3 families a year as part of the new UKRS scheme. 

Visit the GOV.UK page for more information on this scheme.

The scheme replaces two former schemes: 

• the vulnerable persons resettlement scheme 2016 to 2021 which resettled 20,000 people in the UK
• the settlement of vulnerable children scheme 2017 to 2021 which resettled 3,000 people in the UK

Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy

The Home Office established the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) so that local staff who worked for the UK government in Afghanistan could resettle in UK with their families.

The government has a fact sheet for people evacuated from Afghanistan including information on individual rights and immigration status in the UK.  

There is also a welcome guide for arrivals to the UK from Afghanistan on the locally employed staff relocation scheme.

Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme

The Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) was launched by the Home Office in January 2022 for those who supported the UK efforts in Afghanistan and who stood up for:

• democracy 
• women’s rights and freedom of speech 
• the rule of law 
• vulnerable people

The government has a guide for arrivals to the UK from Afghanistan on the locally employed staff relocation scheme.

There is also immigration information for people evacuated from Afghanistan including their rights and the next steps regarding their immigration status in the UK. 

Homes for Ukraine

You can find out about how we are working with the Homes for Ukraine scheme from the links on this page.

Who we work with

We work in partnership with Julian House to help support and resettle families in South Gloucestershire.

We also work with other organisations to support individuals and families.

Read our FAQs for more information.

How to help

Volunteering

You can contact local organisations Julian House and Southern Brooks Community Partnership to offer volunteer support. 

The South Gloucestershire Volunteer Centre Partnership has details of local volunteering opportunities.

You could also contact the Refugee Council, the British Red Cross or Refugee Action to find out more about volunteering to support refugees already in the UK.

Donations

The government advises the best way to help refugees is to donate money to humanitarian organisations or charities who are already working with refugees.

You can contact local organisations Julian House and Southern Brooks Community Partnership to find out what is needed for the families they are helping.

Donate clothes, bedding, books, toys and other items to charity shops. The money raised from sales will be directed towards helping refugees.

You can donate directly to organisations working with refugees such as the British Red Cross, Save the Children, Oxfam or UNHCR.

Help with housing

Contact 01454 868005 or email accommodation.team@southglos.gov.uk if you have a suitable property that you are willing to offer to use as part of this scheme.

Properties for housing refugees must be self-contained and the rent must be able to be covered by housing benefit.

The whole of a property must be available for a refugee family.

Empty rooms in owner occupied homes or in houses of multiple occupation are not sought currently.