- Tens of thousands of Afghans are still awaiting sanctuary in the UK five years after the fall of Kabul, with 29,655 people yet to be resettled under various schemes.
- The National Audit Office (NAO) warns that the government is unlikely to meet its target of relocating all eligible Afghan families to the UK by March 2029 without 'urgent intervention'.
- Challenges include a lack of resources, the deportation of Afghans from Pakistan, housing shortages in the UK leading to homelessness, and the impact of a Ministry of Defence data leak.
- The resettlement schemes are projected to cost the UK £5.7 billion in total, with £3.1 billion already spent and a further £2.6 billion allocated until 2033.
- A government spokesperson stated that around 38,000 Afghans have already settled and reaffirmed commitment to the 2029 target, citing the Afghan Resettlement Programme as a single pathway for better outcomes.
IN FULL
