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UK Reopens Refugee Resettlement, Prioritizing Afghan Women and Girls

By Drooid · Sep 28, 2026, 6:15 AM UTC · How we work

Left

Critics deem limits inadequate

UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced reopening of a refugee resettlement scheme that will prioritize Afghan women and girls and Palestinian refugees.
Critics say the scheme’s few-hundred-a-year limit and five-year path to indefinite leave are insufficient to curb illegal crossings.
The programme gives priority to refugees with disabilities and to women and girls deemed vulnerable.
From October, charities and universities can sponsor refugees, providing housing, integration support and job help.

Right

Sponsorship programme model

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced the reopening of a refugee resettlement scheme that will prioritize Afghan women and girls and Palestinian refugees.
Critics such as Nigel Farage called the plan a new push to bring more migrants into Britain.
All accepted refugees will undergo thorough security and criminality checks before entry.
Mahmood will launch a named-sponsorship programme modeled on Canada’s community sponsorship, echoing Homes for Ukraine.

History

Historical Context

In 1972, the British government, under Prime Minister Edward Heath, accepted over 27,000 Ugandan Asian refugees expelled by Idi Amin, establishing a large-scale resettlement precedent. The Home Office allocated £30 million to fund housing and integration for the arrivals, coordinating with local councils in London, Birmingham, and Manchester. Today, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood revives a sponsorship model prioritizing Afghan women, girls, and Palestinian refugees, echoing the approach first tested after the Ugandan crisis. The precedent suggests that coordinated government-charity partnerships can swiftly integrate thousands, yet critics warn that limited caps may repeat past integration challenges.

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Critics deem limits inadequate

UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced reopening of a refugee resettlement scheme that will prioritize Afghan women and girls and Palestinian refugees.
Critics say the scheme’s few-hundred-a-year limit and five-year path to indefinite leave are insufficient to curb illegal crossings.
The programme gives priority to refugees with disabilities and to women and girls deemed vulnerable.
From October, charities and universities can sponsor refugees, providing housing, integration support and job help.

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