HOMES WANTED TO HOUSE AFGHAN REFUGEES

COUNCILS across Leicestershire and Rutland have called on residents to help them find homes for refugees fleeing the Taliban.

Suitable homes for people coming here are in short supply.

Councils are pulling together to support the government’s two Afghan resettlement schemes and they are asking those who live in the county for their help.

Charnwood Borough Council, which is coordinating the efforts of Oadby and Wigston, North West Leicestershire, Blaby, Hinckley and Bosworth, Melton and Harborough councils, has said the focus now is finding homes.

It has urged anyone with an empty property suitable for families to register them via an online government form.

These need to be single-family homes, rather than house shares.

Councillor Paul Mercer, lead member for private housing at Charnwood Borough Council, speaking on behalf of all the councils involved, said: “We have all seen the news coverage highlighting the situation in Afghanistan and naturally we all want to help people who are in real danger.

“The government has asked councils to support these resettlement schemes and that’s what we’re doing.

“It’s difficult to say how many families we can help as we only have the confirmed details of one scheme and we are waiting for more information on the other. It’s a fast-moving situation.

“The key focus for the resettlement

PLEA TO GET PUBLIC TO OFFER ANY EMPTY HOMES TO AFGHANS

schemes is finding suitable homes for families.

“We would urge anyone who owns a property which may be suitable to register it via the online portal set up by the government. Once a property is registered, it can be assessed for suitability.”

Leicester is the only Midlands city which has stepped up to act as a “first port of call” for those fleeing Afghanistan.

It will offer sanctuary to refugees while permanent homes are being found for them across the country. Some of those who arrive in Leicester will also remain.

The government has two schemes - one to welcome 5,000 people who worked for British Armed Forces in Afghanistan and their families, and a second to resettle a total of 20,000 at-risk Afghans over a five-year period.

Both will be funded by the central government.

■ To find out more, search “Afghanistan housing” at: gov.uk/government/publications