The Resettlement service continues to grow and develop to meet the requirements from central government for all local authorities to play an active role in resettlement and wider migration.
This information is correct at time of publication (December 2024).
Funding for Ukrainian refugees
Since the start of the Russian invasion into Ukraine on 24 February 2022 and the establishment of the Homes for Ukraine scheme, the Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government has provided Cornwall Council with all funds needed to administer the scheme. The money has not come from Council funds.
Over the past three years, we've supported 1100 Ukrainians in over 400 individual hosting arrangements across the county.
This equates to:
- thank you payments to local hosts of £2,894,000 to date, with an extra £960,627 provided as top up payments to local hosts from the tariff funding
- Schools and Education payments of £1,965,788 for resources to the school community
- £20,000 to build capacity at Newquay airport.
Cornwall Council has so far received £11,207,457 in tariff funding to meet the needs of Ukrainians arriving in Cornwall. We've used this funding to support services for refugees and to provide top up thank you payments to local hosts. We've also awarded wider community grants and local activities to support community cohesion.
The funding has also enabled the Council to build a sustainable service able to meet the needs of our diverse communities until 2030. The service we provide includes:
- home visits for hosts in need by a skilled case worker team
- safeguarding checks and due diligence
- administration of payments
- rematching of refugees to new hosts and into private sector housing
- commissioned support for all parties
This auditable use of funds builds capacity into other teams across the Council and its partners. It creates better services for all by meeting the needs of a vulnerable client group. It also secures new homes through the Local Authority Housing Fund (LAHF).
The number of properties secured so far in Cornwall through the LAHF government scheme is:
- LAHF 1 - Twenty-three properties for use under Homes for Ukraine and seven for Afghan resettlement
- LAHF 2 - Twelve properties for the general needs’ population due to supporting Afghan resettlement and eight for Afghan resettlement
- LAHF 3 - This has now started with twenty-three properties for the general needs population due to supporting Afghan resettlement. As well as eleven for Afghan resettlement by 2026.
When properties purchased by resettlement are no longer required by the service, we can move them into general need for local people.
The expenditure of LAHF properties is commercially sensitive.
Funding for Afghan refugees
The resettlement of Afghan families began in Cornwall at the start of 2024. Families arrived through two recognised routes:
1) The Afghan Relocation Assistance Policy (ARAP) for families that have a connection to the Ministry of Defence (MOD). This could be people who are:
- interpreters
- translators
- drivers
- security
- in regular local trades who have been assessed by the MOD as at risk under Taliban rule.
Many of these families are housed within MOD service accommodation. The Council receives funding to provide caseworker services and wraparound support from point of arrival for three years. The Council have worked in partnership with the MOD to support:
- eight families through service accommodation
- a further five families via LAHF accommodation
2) The Afghan Citizens resettlement scheme (ACRS) for those who have assisted UK efforts in Afghanistan and stood up for values such as:
- democracy
- women’s rights
- freedom of speech
- rule of law
The Council has used five LAHF properties for these families under the government funding provided.
All compliant resettlement properties within the LAHF program are currently occupied.
The Council has received £330,600 from central government in 2024 to meet Afghan families’ support needs.
Supporting asylum seekers
All local authorities have been directed by the government to be dispersal areas of accommodation for asylum seekers. Dispersal accommodation is longer-term temporary accommodation. They are managed by accommodation providers on behalf of the Home Office.
Individuals can usually stay in dispersal accommodation until their asylum claim is fully determined. The Council doesn’t organise or provide accommodation for asylum seekers. However, we do help them to access:
- English lessons
- volunteering
- skills training
through government funding.
Nationally, 70% of asylum seekers are granted refugee status and the right to stay in the UK. Supporting English skills during the asylum process is important for future job opportunities.
No council housing is used for asylum dispersal. The Council is talking with the government about funding to renovate old properties and use empty homes for housing. This could reduce the need for temporary accommodation. It could also make more properties available for local residents in the future.
In 2022, the Home Office used a hotel for asylum seekers awaiting decisions in Cornwall. This provided the Council with an extra £87,750. This is being reinvested into support services. The Council will continue to receive a one-time payment of £3,500 for each bedspace provided by the government.
The Council first got involved in resettlement with the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Scheme (SVPR) in 2016. The Council helped 10 families through this program. Some funds from that scheme are still available for community integration projects. A total of £225,953 is available for use in 2025/26. We are looking at how to use these funds to:
- improve access to services
- support communities
- give schools more resources