The council and its partners are aware of some misinformation circulating regarding our new Afghan families. While this misinformation is being circulated by a small number of individuals, we want to make sure all our residents have the facts.
We have provided a full break down of information below, but would like to reiterate that our new families are not illegal immigrants, asylum seekers or refugees. They have indefinite leave to remain and so are now UK residents.
The new families are part of the national Afghan Resettlement Programme (ARP), which offers relocation and resettlement to Afghan citizens, and their immediate family, who:
- worked for or with the UK Government to support the UK mission in Afghanistan
- are considered vulnerable or in danger from the Taliban
- assisted UK efforts in Afghanistan
We’ve received many offers of help to make sure our new families can settle into life here, feel welcome and can start contributing to our community and economy. This has included offers of school uniform, setting up sports clubs, free translation and interpretation and warm welcomes to faith and religious groups.
Cllr Mary Temperton, leader of Bracknell Forest Council, said:
“Our borough has a long history of being kind, supportive and caring to people who have experienced trauma and turbulence in their lives, meaning they can no longer stay safely in their home country.
“We are proudly home to the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and so have a strong tie to the UK military and those who have helped our servicemen and women. We have also signed the Armed Forces Covenant - a promise to make sure those who serve or have served in the armed forces, and their families, are treated fairly.
“While this national resettlement scheme is being led by the MOD, we need to play our part and offer a safe and secure home to our new Afghan residents. I ask all our residents to show our new families the kindness that we are so proud of and welcome them with dignity and respect."
In addition to the facts below, and to provide our residents with reassurance, we’d like to reiterate that Thames Valley Police has confirmed that there have been no reports of an alleged sexual assault, details of which have been circulating on social media and appear to be fake. The post on Sunday 11 May made comments that caused concern in the community, specifically because it linked our new arrivals to the alleged crime. Alongside Thames Valley Police, we would like to reiterate that residents should remain cautious when reading and sharing information online, especially on local social media groups, where information is not always verified.
We would kindly ask residents not to speculate on social media and to report any crime, including hate crime, directly to Thames Valley Police.
What is the Afghan Resettlement Programme (ARP)?
This is a UK Government resettlement scheme, which was announced by the Defence Secretary in December 2024.
The ARP offers relocation and resettlement to Afghan citizens, and their immediate family, who:
- worked for or with the UK Government to support the UK mission in Afghanistan
- are considered vulnerable or in danger from the Taliban
- assisted UK efforts in Afghanistan
Alongside British personnel, many Afghans also worked with commitment and courage to support the UK mission in Afghanistan. This includes members of Afghan specialist units who fought valiantly alongside UK personnel, with some giving their lives and others suffering life-changing injuries.
Resettlement schemes are distinct from asylum, as those eligible for assistance under these schemes include people who played a key role supporting Britain’s mission in Afghanistan, often at great personal risk.
How many people will be coming to Bracknell Forest as part of the ARP?
We’re expecting 300 new residents in family groups during spring 2025. They will arrive in 3 cohorts. The first cohort have arrived and are being supported to settle into life in the UK. Families are expected to stay in their transitional accommodation for a maximum of 9 months. Once our original families move out, we may get additional new families, but we will not have more than 300 people at any one time.
Are they illegal immigrants?
No, they are not illegal immigrants, asylum seekers or refugees. They have indefinite leave to remain as granted by the UK Government. Indefinite leave to remain means that the UK is now home for the families and they are regarded as settled in the UK.
Where will they live?
The families will live in something called transitional accommodation for up to 9 months. It is not asylum accommodation or a migrant centre.
We will not disclose the address of our new residents for health and wellbeing reasons and to safeguard our new residents’ confidentiality.
How long will they live in the transitional accommodation?
Our new families can live in their transitional accommodation for a maximum of 9 months. This is intended to provide time for families to acclimatise to life in the UK, fostering a culture of independent living, without dependency or incurring excessive costs.
After that, the expectation is that they find alternative and more permanent accommodation. We expect that a number of the new families will remain in Bracknell Forest in the longer term, but others may move to be closer to friends and family outside the borough.
Who pays for this?
Council tax and council funding will not directly pay for the scheme. There is a standalone government funding tariff to support all new resettled Afghan arrivals to integrate into the UK and become self-sufficient. Councils can claim a single tariff per arrival on the ARP, we have taken up this funding to help us provide care, support and create essential services like education.
Did the council apply to be part of the scheme?
No, this is a national scheme and is not something councils can apply for.
Why weren’t residents consulted?
This is a national resettlement scheme and while the council is pleased to play its part in supporting our new residents, it is not run or managed by the council. Therefore, locally, we could not consult residents on a scheme that is not owned or managed by the council.
Will this affect the housing list?
No, the ARP will not affect the housing list. Our current housing policy requires a 4-year connection to the area for the housing 'waiting list' and the new one (due to be implemented in mid-May), requires a 2 year residency to qualify. Therefore, the new arrivals will not qualify to join. The new housing policy also prioritises veterans. We can also confirm that over the past 2 years the number of people on the housing register has dropped (on average, 19%). We can also confirm that we don't have anyone currently placed out of area. Anyone who needs housing support will continue to receive the help they are entitled to, before and after our new families arrive.
Do the new families get private healthcare?
No, families will not receive private healthcare. Individuals will be registered with local health services while living in the area and will be able to access the same level of care as other residents – they will be subject to the same waiting and response times. Our NHS partners will access a specific health tariff to increase capacity.
Has the borough become unsafe?
The council regularly checks with the police regarding the safety of the borough. There is no evidence to suggest that crime has increased, or that the safety of residents has reduced since people on the ARP arrived in the borough. Bracknell Forest continues to be one of the safest places in Berkshire.
Was someone attacked by a person relocated through the ARP?
Thames Valley Police has investigated a social media post made on Sunday, 11 May, claiming that a young female was assaulted by someone possibly linked to the ARP. An appeal was made to ask the victim to come forward. No victim has come forward and no reports have been made to police. Therefore, the police have no evidence to suggest the alleged incident took place and they have stated the claim appears to be fake.
Transparency
The council took the opportunity to let residents know about plans to welcome 300 new people in early April. We also held specific briefings for local stakeholders. While most local authorities do not make information public prior to the arrival of people on the ARP, we wanted our residents to be informed with the facts. The information we have shared reflects that this is a fast-moving project involving vulnerable people.