More than 100 million people are displaced across the world. In 2024, 7,800 refugees were resettled in the UK, 91% of whom arrived through the Afghan Resettlement Programme. Resettlement involves moving a refugee from a host country where they’ve sought asylum, to another country which has the capacity to support them longer term.
The UK Community Sponsorship scheme was set up by the government in 2016, in response to communities and faith leaders who said that they wanted to do more to help directly. It’s a unique programme enabling a group of ordinary people to welcome a refugee family into their local area and support them as they rebuild their lives. In 2021 – 2022, 243 refugees were resettled in the UK through this scheme – including here in Falmouth!
It’s the only programme that works in addition to the number of refugees who are able to access safe and legal routes to resettlement in the UK and are placed under the responsibility of local authorities, for instance through the UK Resettlement Scheme (UKRS), and the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS). In other words, resettlement via Community Sponsorship doesn’t count towards these government ‘quotas’ – so, the more Community Sponsorship groups that exist in the UK, the greater the overall number of refugees that can be resettled here.
The Home Office sets out legal requirements for Community Sponsorship groups to:
- Find and furnish an affordable home for a refugee family for a minimum period of 2 years.
- Raise at least £9,000 (to cover various costs like translation, furnishing the house, and English classes).
- Welcome the family at the airport and settle them in their new community (helping them register for benefits, access health services and enrol children in schools).
- Provide support and encouragement to the family for one year so that they can live securely and independently.
All Sponsorship groups have made a legal obligation to provide the support listed above during the first 12 months of a family’s resettlement period. The property that the families first live in is required to be guaranteed for the first 2 years. Welcome decided to extend the periods of commitment for both of these areas. Therefore, all families supported by Welcome will receive general support for two years and security of accommodation for three years.
All Community Sponsorship groups receive training from Reset before their application to the Home Office is approved. Reset are funded by the government and additional charitable organisations to provide advice, support, and learning resources, and monitor the wellbeing of both the Community Sponsorship groups and the resettled families during their first year.
No member of our group had any experience of community sponsorship before we can together, and we have resettled three families. This could be you. If you want to find out more about creating a community sponsorship group visit Reset. If you want to find out more from us, please get in touch.