Afghan refugees in Lincolnshire still living in hotels a year after they arrived

A community church in Grantham which helps refugees says families from Afghanistan were overlooked by the Home Office when the Ukranian war began.

Some Afghan refugees are still living in hotels a year after they fled their home country due to the harsh new Taliban regime.

Caroline Milligan, the community projects co-ordinator of the Alive Church says it’s hard for families with children. 

“They are very grateful, but they kind of feel like they've been put on the back burner for a while. They do feel that when the Ukrainian war began, and the Ukrainian refugees started coming into the country, that they were at times ignored,” she said.

The church provides arts and cookery classes as well as English lessons for refugees.

Besmillah Aloaozyyi who came to England via Pakistan worked as an interpreter for the British Army in Afghanistan says he would like to make Lincolnshire his permanent home.

“I love this country, I look upon it as my home now. We are all happy here,” he said.

Mr Aloaozyyi said his daughter and sons were getting a good education which would not be the case in Afghanistan.

The Taliban has withdrawn many women’s rights and neglected basic services.

The Home Office issued a statement: “It is wrong to set these two vulnerable groups against each other. Putin’s brutal and barbaric invasion has meant we needed to move quickly to set up both the Ukraine Family scheme and the Homes for Ukraine scheme, so that people can find safety in the UK. 

At the same time, support for those under the ARAP and ACRS schemes continues, including processing cases. So far, we have welcomed almost 21,500 Afghan women, children and other at-risk groups with a safe and legal route to resettle in the UK and are working as fast as possible to house everyone.”

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