12,000 Afghan evacuees to usher in new year in hotels as UK govt fails to look for homes

As the UK government finds it hard to persuade enough councils to look for permanent homes, around 12,000 Afghan refugees will usher in the new year in hotels, said a report by the Guardian.  

As per the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), from the 16,500 people, who were airlifted from Afghanistan to the UK since August, “over 4,000 individuals have either moved into a settled home or are in the process of being moved or matched to a suitable home.”   

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The rest of the refugees are still waiting for the news when they can begin rebuilding their lives.   

According to a spokesperson of the Home Office, over 300 local authorities in the country are making concerted efforts to offer permanent accommodation.  

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As the government has decided to not force local authorities to rehouse the refugees, they may not be evenly distributed across the UK, said the report.  

As per the sources at both the DWP and Home Office, over 12,000 Afghan evacuees still remained in hotels as of December 22. According to London Councils, around 4,000 are in London.  

(With inputs from agencies)