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<p><del class="ministerial">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.</del></p><p><del
class="ministerial">It is vital that those arriving have somewhere suitable to stay
once they are in the UK. We are developing plans across government to support the
remainder of the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) and ARAP cohorts into
settled accommodation in the UK.</del></p><p><del class="ministerial">Asylum seekers
are allowed to work in the UK if their claim has been outstanding for 12 months or
more, through no fault of their own. Those permitted to work are restricted to jobs
on the Shortage Occupation List.</del></p><p><del class="ministerial">It is important
that our policy approach distinguishes between those who need protection and those
seeking to work here who can apply for a work visa under the Immigration Rules. Asylum
seekers do not need to make perilous journeys in order to seek employment in the United
Kingdom. There are various safe and legal routes for those seeking to work in the
UK under the Points Based System.</del></p><p><del class="ministerial">We will only
facilitate ARAP third country arrivals where suitable accommodation can be secured
ahead of arrival, including where individuals can be supported to arrange accommodation
themselves.</del></p><p><del class="ministerial">The monitoring of Homelessness duties
owed to this cohort is the responsibility of the Department for Levelling Up, Housing
and Communities (DLUHC).</del></p><p><del class="ministerial">DLUHC has been gathering
survey data from local authorities in England on homelessness duties owed to Afghans
leaving bridging accommodation. This data has been published in the <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/homelessness-management-information-afghan-nationals-england"
target="_blank">Homelessness management information – Afghan nationals: England</a>.</del></p><p><del
class="ministerial">In summary the total number of Afghan households in this cohort
in temporary accommodation under a homelessness duty in England as of 31 August was
188.</del></p><p><del class="ministerial">This is based on a voluntary survey to local
authorities in England with a 74% response rate, of which 35% of local authorities
had reported owing homelessness duties to Afghan households leaving bridging accommodation.</del></p><p><del
class="ministerial">DLUHC will continue to monitor homelessness duties to this cohort
going forwards and the Home Office will continue to publish statistics on resettlement
schemes in the usual way.</del></p><p><del class="ministerial">The information requested
for each local authority in Wales is not currently available. The following operational
data published by the Home Office may be of interest: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/afghan-resettlement-programme-operational-data/afghan-bridging-hotel-exit-operational-data"
target="_blank">Afghan bridging hotel exit operational data - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)</a></del></p><p><ins
class="ministerial">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.</ins></p><p><ins
class="ministerial">The UK Government has granted all Afghans relocated through safe
and legal routes with Indefinite Leave to Remain, including the immediate right to
work, alongside access to the benefits system and vital health, education, and employment
support.</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">On top of this the Government made available
£35m of new funding to enable Local Authorities to provide increased support for Afghan
households to move from hotels into settled accommodation.</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">The
monitoring of Homelessness duties owed to this cohort is the responsibility of the
Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC).</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">DLUHC
has been gathering survey data from local authorities in England on homelessness duties
owed to Afghans leaving bridging accommodation. This data has been published in the
<a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/homelessness-management-information-afghan-nationals-england"
target="_blank">Homelessness management information – Afghan nationals: England</a>.</ins></p><p><ins
class="ministerial">In summary the total number of Afghan households in this cohort
in temporary accommodation under a homelessness duty in England as of 31 August was
188.</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">This is based on a voluntary survey to local
authorities in England with a 74% response rate, of which 35% of local authorities
had reported owing homelessness duties to Afghan households leaving bridging accommodation.</ins></p><p><ins
class="ministerial">DLUHC will continue to monitor homelessness duties to this cohort
going forwards and the Home Office will continue to publish statistics on resettlement
schemes in the usual way.</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">The information requested
for each local authority in Wales is not currently available. The following operational
data published by the Home Office may be of interest: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/afghan-resettlement-programme-operational-data/afghan-bridging-hotel-exit-operational-data"
target="_blank">Afghan bridging hotel exit operational data - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)</a></ins></p>
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