The Government has provided a fresh update on the Afghan Resettlement Programme (ARP), outlining where the scheme currently stands and how it plans to bring it to a conclusion within this Parliament.
In a written statement to the House of Commons, the Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry set out developments across three key areas: eligibility decisions, changes to relocation support, and the long-term plan for winding the programme down.
The ARP stopped accepting new applicants last year. Since then, the backlog of outstanding applications has been reduced significantly – from around 25,000 in July 2025 to fewer than 17,000 today. The Government is aiming to complete all remaining eligibility decisions by spring next year. Of those found eligible, fewer than 9,000 individuals are yet to be brought to the UK, reflecting both the pace of case processing and the fact that a lower proportion of applicants have met the qualifying criteria compared to earlier stages of the programme.
One notable shift confirmed in the statement is a change to how travel support is provided. Going forward, the Government will no longer fund assisted travel out of Afghanistan for eligible individuals. Instead, applicants will be expected to reach a third country independently before continuing their visa process – bringing the ARP more in line with other resettlement routes operated by the UK.
The statement also sets a clear endpoint for the programme. A backstop date of December 2028 has been established for relocation support, and the Government has signalled its intention to move away from housing Afghan arrivals in hotels and military accommodation, transitioning instead to longer-term housing arranged through local authorities.
News Source: Electronic Immigration Network
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