Latest figures released by Kikrlees Council show that Kirklees Council has taken in a total of 25 Afghan refugees under the Resettlement scheme introduced by the Government.

Figures show that 6 families have been resettled in Kirklees and have been offered the support they require such as access to health services, transport links, and English language lessons.

When the regime took over in August 2021, over 12,00 refugees fled to the UK; by the end of September 2021, only 770 had been resettled across the UK.

Yorkshire and the Humber took in the highest rates, with Bradford taking in 92 refugees.

Councillor Carole Pattison, Cabinet Member for Learning, Aspiration, and Communities, said:

“Kirklees is a place of welcome and we have a very proud history when it comes to supporting individuals and families who are seeking safety. Council officers are working with partner organisations to provide support to the Afghan people to ensure they feel welcomed to the area and have access to the services to help them settle in Kirklees.  

“Every family that arrives receives a ‘Welcome Pack’ which has the basic details of the area in which they live. The pack includes information on health care, support services, transport links, and community activities. Families work with our dedicated team, some of whom are from Afghanistan, from their day of arrival to develop a plan as to how they can settle and start their life again in our district. English language lessons are offered to all adults who require them, and our team will work with families to secure school places for young people.

“Additionally, Welcome Mentors who are originally from Afghanistan are volunteering their time to support the families to feel confident in their new community and help them connect to local groups and activities. We’ve been amazed, but not surprised, by the positive response we’ve seen from Kirklees residents who want to welcome the Afghan people to the area, and I want to thank everyone who has played a part in providing this vital support.”

When the resettlement scheme was introduced, the Government had suggested that the refugees would be fairly distributed across the UK, however, this was not followed.

More than 300 UK Councils stepped up to welcome and offer support for the Afghan refugees.