Resettlement schemes

Resettlement Schemes

Refugee resettlement plays a key role in the global response to humanitarian crises: it saves lives and offers stability to refugees most in need of protection. Refugees are displaced by conflict, violence and persecution. They do not leave their countries out of choice. The UK has a proud history of providing protection to those who need it, and our resettlement schemes enable us to give the opportunity of a new start to those who have been forced to flee their homes.

Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme (VPRS)

The Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme (VPRS) was launched in January 2014 and has helped those in the greatest need, including people requiring urgent medical treatment, survivors of violence and torture, and women and children at risk. This scheme ended in February 2021.

Vulnerable Children’s Resettlement Scheme (VCRS)

The Vulnerable Children’s Resettlement Scheme (VCRS) was launched in 2016, with the aim of resettling up to 3,000 ’at-risk’ refugee children from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, including their families. This scheme also ended in February 2021.

UK Resettlement Scheme (UKRS)

The UKRS reaffirms the UK’s ongoing commitment to refugee resettlement, which continues to be an important component of the UK’s humanitarian response. Under the UKRS, the UK will continue to offer a safe and legal route to vulnerable refugees in need of protection.

Community Sponsorship scheme

The Community Sponsorship scheme enables community groups to directly welcome and support a resettled family into their local community. The Scheme was established in response to the desire of civil society to support refugees and is an example of effective government and civil society collaboration.

Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP)

The Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) offers relocation or other assistance to those who served alongside our armed forces in Afghanistan and provided important support to Her Majesty’s Government defence and security mission there, predominantly those who were employed directly, or in certain special cases via contractors, and who are assessed to be at serious risk as a result of such work.

Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS)

The Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS), prioritises those who have assisted the UK efforts in Afghanistan and stood up for values such as democracy, women’s rights and freedom of speech, the rule of law; and vulnerable people, including women and girls at risk, and members of minority groups at risk. This scheme will resettle up to 20,000 people at risk.

The Afghan Resettlement Programme (ARP) 

From the 1st March 2025 the Afghan Resettlement Programme (ARP) brings together existing Afghan resettlement schemes into a single, efficient pipeline. A single pipeline will improve efficiency, value for money and outcomes across Afghan Resettlement. The Government intends to reach an eventual ending of UK Afghan resettlement schemes. 

Existing schemes that will be brought under the ARP include: 

1. Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP)
2. Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS).

Refugee resettlement in Devon

Local councils in Devon voluntarily participate in refugee resettlement programmes and have the ability to manage the pace at which families are welcomed. In Devon, resettled families are accommodated in private rental properties, where landlords have agreed to offer housing specifically for this purpose. Refugee families are not given preferential treatment in the allocation of housing.

Since 2016, all eight district councils in Devon have pledged ongoing support for refugee resettlement. These commitments are made under the UK Resettlement Scheme (UKRS), the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP), and the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS), which are delivered through local authorities and community sponsorship groups. Each district council reviews its participation annually, or as determined by senior officers and/or elected members.

In Devon, responsibility for housing lies with city and district councils, while support for resettled families is coordinated at either a county or district level. This often involves collaboration with local community organisations. The first resettled family arrived in 2016, and the following outlines Devon’s resettlement progress as of May 2025:

East Devon District Council, North Devon Council, South Hams District Council & West Devon Borough Council lead on their own resettlement arrangement and are not include in these totals.

Devon has formed a partnership to help families to settle in and lead independent, safe and productive lives. This includes professionals from the NHS, education and social care who make sure that local services will be able to meet refugees’ needs.

Community and voluntary organisations are taking the lead in helping families get to know the local area and UK culture, make contact with faith and support groups, learn English and where possible get into work.

Refugee families have been through great hardship and settling in a new country is a huge challenge. Families are entitled to privacy, so councils will not make individual announcements about the timing and locations of resettlement.

Contact email address: refugeeresettlement@devon.gov.uk