You want to make a donation to support refugees in the UK

Refugee Council’s expert teams are working hard to help hundreds of Afghans including translators and military support staff who have made it to the UK. Donate today and you could help provide life-changing services for refugees arriving in the UK who have lost everything.

You or your friends or family want to leave Afghanistan

The UK Government is assisting Afghans who have worked with them to come to the UK. You can find out if you are eligible here.

In January 2022 the UK Government opened a resettlement scheme for Afghans – Afghan Citizen Resettlement Scheme (ACRS).  An initial announcement was made on 6 January 2022 confirming how Afghans who arrived as a result of the evacuation would be granted status under pathway 1 of the scheme.   A further announcement was then made on the 13 June 2022, which included further details of how people at risk in Afghanistan or in the region would be able to access the scheme under pathways 2 and 3.

• Under ACRS Pathway 2, referrals to the Government are received from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).  

• Under the first stage of ACRS Pathway 3, expressions of interest have closed. If you have already submitted an expression of interest, the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office will contact you to confirm whether you are being referred for resettlement. 

After the first stage of Pathway 3, the Government has said they will work with international partners and NGOs (non-governmental organisations) to welcome wider groups of Afghans at risk. Please see here for guidance and further information.

The UK Government has set up a helpline for non-British nationals in Afghanistan who may be at risk. You can find out the latest information here. Please note: this helpline may be very busy so please keep trying if you are unable to get through.

The UNHCR has published information for people in Afghanistan.

The UNHCR has published information for Afghans arriving in Iran.

The UNHCR has published information for Afghans arriving in Pakistan.

You are unable to contact family in Afghanistan

The British Red Cross provides an Internal Family Tracing service. If your relatives are not answering normal communications such as telephone, email or mobile, Red Cross may be able to help. Please contact your nearest British Red Cross office and tell them they would like to contact a family member.

You are an Afghan who has been evacuated to the UK

The UK Government has published a website to provide information on your rights an entitlements in the UK.

A new free service called the Afghan Pro Bono Initiative has been set up to provide legal advice to people who arrived under the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) or ACRS scheme.

You are an Afghan living in England who supported British Armed Forces in Afghanistan between October 2001 and August 2021. 

OpCourage Warm Welcome Afghan service is a mental health assessment, advocacy and support service for Afghan people living in England who supported British Armed Forces in Afghanistan between October 2001 and August 2021. This is a free service, see more details here. 

If you have any questions about whether this is the right service for you or if you need help completing the referral, please call 0203 317 7979 or email nlft.afghanservice@nhs.net. You can also read more about the service here 

You are an Afghan living in the UK and have made an asylum claim

If you have been refused but your appeal has not been heard you may wish to speak to your legal rep to ensure the latest information is heard by the judge.

If you are appeal rights exhausted and/or have been issued with removal directions it is important that you seek legal advice. If you need advice or to get a new legal representative, these organisations can provide you with help to understand your options and access a legal representative.

Ask if you qualify for free legal advice (legal aid) before paying for it.

If you are destitute you can contact our Infoline on 0808 196 7272 to access support services in your area.

You live in the UK and want to offer support

You can help refugees rebuild shattered lives in safety here in the UK by donating to our ongoing efforts.

We work with hundreds of volunteers to support refugees and people seeking asylum. If you are interested in volunteering with us, you can view our opportunities here.

Our friends at IMIX have produced a helpful list of actions you can take here and abroad to support Afghans.

The UK Government have set up a webpage to allow members of public to offer their support in the form of accommodation, fostering and donated goods.