In addition to the work to support refugees from Ukraine and Afghanistan, there is also ongoing work to support unaccompanied asylum seeking children and other refugees entering the UK.
Suffolk County Council supports the Government’s UK Resettlement Scheme (UKRS).
Since 2016 Suffolk's Public Sector Leaders have agreed that Suffolk should participate in the government refugee resettlement programmes. The UK Resettlement Scheme (UKRS) has a global focus instead of the targeted area of the Middle East and North Africa under the previous resettlement schemes. The government work closely with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to target those in greatest need of assistance, including people requiring urgent medical treatment, survivors of violence and torture, and women and children at risk. Suffolk has committed to receive refugee families under this new scheme.
In addition, since Summer 2021 Suffolk has been involved in the Afghan resettlement schemes and have been supporting many people evacuated from Afghanistan.
We co-ordinate the response which includes a task group with representatives from local authorities, health and the voluntary and community sectors. We collaborate to ensure there is appropriate housing, education, health and support services provision.
We commission local voluntary sector partners to deliver some of the housing provision and the integration support to enable the refugees to settle into life in Suffolk.
We work with the Home Office to agree which families come to Suffolk based on the services and facilities we are able to offer. Security and health checks are carried out on all those being considered for resettlement before they arrive in the UK.
Most refugees have refugee status for five years on humanitarian grounds, this includes the ability to work.
Find out more
Visit Suffolk Refugee Support to find:
- what Suffolk is doing to support resettled refugees
- the latest on appeals for donations and volunteers
- updates on the resettlement schemes
Suffolk Refugee Support regularly updates their website and Facebook page to show what help they need.
