The Afghan Relocation Assistance Policy Scheme and Service Families
08 July 2024
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Annex A: Afghan family journey from Third Country to Settled Accommodation in the UK.
What is the ARAP scheme?
The Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy (ARAP) Scheme is a safe and legal migration pathway into the UK for Afghan citizens who worked for or with the UK Armed Forces in Afghanistan in exposed or meaningful roles. It is an evidence-based scheme and is intended for a select group of Afghans rather than for all who wish to relocate to the UK.
Afghan citizens who are eligible for relocation to the UK under ARAP may relocate with a partner, dependent children and additional family members who are deemed eligible by the Ministry of Defence, and suitable for relocation by the Home Office following security vetting.
Most of the families will be staying in/on Defence Training Estate and/or SFA when they arrive in the UK.
Those who are eligible under ARAP are given ‘indefinite leave to remain’ meaning they have the right to live, work and study in the UK indefinitely. See https://www.gov.uk/indefinite-leave-to-remain for more information.
More information on the ARAP scheme is available at the GOV.UK website: Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy: further information on eligibility criteria, offer details and how to apply - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)How does someone become eligible for the ARAP Scheme in and what is Defence’s commitment to them?
We owe a debt of gratitude to Afghans who risked their lives working alongside UK Armed Forces in Afghanistan and will honour our commitment to them.
Eligibility for the ARAP Scheme isn’t necessarily based on an individual’s job role but on the strength of the evidence in their application. This means while there are many interpreters in the ARAP cohort as has been widely reported, there are many roles that those being resettled in the UK have performed in support of UK Armed Forces.
The evidence provided to the Eligibility team within the MOD must be robust and comprehensive for an individual to be considered for the scheme. It is critically important that we are totally assured that those who are relocated to the UK are those who contributed meaningfully to our efforts in Afghanistan.
To date, we have relocated over 16,900 people to the UK. It is right that those arriving have somewhere suitable to stay once they are in the UK. The Secretary of State for Defence committed to making Service Family Accommodation (SFA) properties available for ARAP families.
Why is Defence Training Estate and SFA being used to accommodate ARAP families?
Using Defence Estate allows control over how we execute the mission and ensure the welfare and safety of ARAP families is supported. We have deployed Sub-Units to support ARAP families at every transitional site.
A range of Government departments are collaborating to ensure we continue to provide the most appropriate accommodation solutions for eligible Afghans and will continue to be a key part of the solution. The MOD liaises daily with the Home Office and the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on this core priority.
Defence Training Estate and some of the available SFA is used as a staging area while settled accommodation is prepared.
See the infographic at Annex A for a visual depiction of how Defence Training Estate and SFA is used to accommodate ARAP Families.
How are we allocating SFA to ARAP Families?
SFA allocated for ARAP families is split into two pools, Transitional (TSFA) and Settled (SSFA).
TSFA is a staging accommodation for families who are waiting for SSFA to become available.
TSFA are clustered on patches where a Sub-Unit is deployed to manage the welfare of the ARAP families during their stay. The properties are outside the wire and operate on a rolling basis, with ARAP families expected to move in and out as SSFA becomes available. It can be a lengthy process for the Home Office to match families to SSFA hence the requirement for transitional or staging accommodation.
SSFA is offered via a 3-year lease during which time they are supported in finding private accommodation. Their integration to the UK is then the responsibility of the Local Civil Authority.
Not all SFA is being made available to ARAP families. The MOD manages up to 16,000 moves every year and maintains a margin of vacant properties to facilitate this, others are kept vacant for essential repairs and modernisation, marked for disposal or in locations that are unsuitable for sub-letting. Decisions will be made based on the size of families and the support available to them from the Local Civil Authority. The MOD is responsible for TSFA while responsibility for matching families to SSFA rests with the Home Office.
See the infographic at Annex A for a visual depiction of how Defence Training Estate and SFA is used to accommodate ARAP Families.
How might this impact SFA provision and maintenance for Service Families?
We’re working hard to ensure there is minimal impact on Service Families at every location. This means no change to availability for families who apply for SFA and no change in contractual maintenance provision for those in SFA already. DIO maintains a management margin to ensure entitled Service Personnel can be offered appropriate properties. The MOD remains committed to enabling Service personnel and their families to meet their needs of mobility, safety, security, and all statutory requirements.
Furthermore, we are utilising commercial partners to provide additional private housing to further reduce the amount of SFA required.
How long will ARAP Families be living on the patch for?
The time ARAP families will be in TSFA for depends on the size of the family and the availability of compatible settled housing, so it is difficult to put a timeframe on. Our aim is to make the stay in transitional accommodation as short as possible so that a family can begin to integrate.
SSFA will then be offered on a 3-year lease during which time families are supported in finding private accommodation.
What support is provided to the ARAP families in transitional accommodation?
At each TSFA cluster there is a Sub-Unit responsible for the welfare of ARAP families. They also facilitate the work of contractual partners who are delivering some of the necessary initial integration work on behalf of Defence.
There are male and female interpreters on-site 24/7 and all personnel deployed to the Sites have undertaken safeguarding training.
What security measures have been carried out before Afghan families move into SFA?
ARAP eligible Afghan nationals undergo strict Cross-Government eligibility checks before entry into the UK. Individuals must provide full employment details in relation to working with the UK Armed Forces before they are subject to background and record checks by the Home Office. If evidence of termination of past employment due to criminal behaviour is found, then they will be refused eligibility. If other evidence of criminal behaviour which is non-conducive to the UK public good is found, this results in a Visa refusal.
What should I do if I’m contacted for a comment by the media or other external organisations asking about ARAP?
In the unlikely event the media tries to contact you directly, refer them to your Unit Press Officer. If you do not have a Unit Press Officer, please contact the Op LAZURITE J9 team.
What if I have concerns about the impact of more families on my local services?
Concerns around local services are understandable and we work closely with the Local Authorities to assist them in meeting their statutory requirements around security, health, and education however the MOD is only ultimately responsible for the accommodation of ARAP families. If you have concerns about your local services, you will need to contact your relevant service who will be able to answer your questions specific to them.
Where can I go for more information?
Contact your local Welfare Centre or HIVE. They are kept regularly updated with ARAP activity so that you have a convenient point of contact when you need it. The Head of Establishment for your area is also regularly informed.
I’m a member of the Station Welfare staff, where can I go for more information.
If you’re part of the Welfare staff on a Station/Unit, please send your questions up your chain of command, through to the Op LAZURITE team. This will allow us to add to and redistribute this FAQ document on a regular basis.
Annex A to: The Afghan Relocation Assistance Policy Scheme and Service Families
Alternatively, speak to your local HIVE/RNFPS who are briefed on the policy and latest update