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Supporting Afghan refugees

London boroughs are responding to the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan by supporting families fleeing persecution.

The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and Westminster City Council are amongst the majority of London boroughs that have offered accommodation and essential support such as counselling and school places to families in need. These authorities have expressed willingness and ability to take in families coming into the UK via the Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy (ARAP).  If you wish to provide your help and support, please see below:

Organisations to support

If you want to help Afghan refugees arriving in the UK, please consider making a donation to one of the international refugee organisations or Afghan associations in London. Some of these organisations are listed below:

A donation is the most valuable help anyone can give. With your donations, these charities can buy food, medicine, clothes and equipment to support refugees.

Kensington and Chelsea's Amazon Wishlist to support Afghanistan refugees

Kensington and Chelsea has launched an Amazon Wishlist to support Afghanistan refugees and are inviting residents and others to purchase and donate items from this list.

The list is being regularly reviewed and updated as they identify items that are needed.

Items purchased from this list can be delivered directly to the Kensington Town Hall and the Council's Refugee Support Team will distribute the items. 

Visit Kensington and Chelsea's Amazon Wishlist to support Afghanistan refugees

How to purchase items for delivery to the Kensington Town Hall

  1. Go to Kensington and Chelsea's Amazon Wishlist to support Afghanistan refugees.
  2. Select the item(s) from the list and add to your basket in the normal way.
  3. Go to checkout and make sure you select 'Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea's Gift Registry Address' as the delivery address for those items only.
  4. Continue to the payment options.
  5. The items will be delivered to Kensington Town Hall. You don’t need to do anything else and Kensington and Chelsea thanks you for your generosity!

Housing for refugees

The government has put in place an Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy, which is resettling Locally Employed Staff (LES) who worked for the UK Armed Forces and Government in Afghanistan. The scheme requires local authorities to source privately rented accommodation, supported by a Home Office grant and administered by councils.

Like other councils across London, Westminster supports the aims of the relocations and assistance policy. If you are a landlord with a property in Westminster that could be suitable for re-housing an Afghan LES and their family, please contact the Housing Solutions Service at hsswestlets@wcchss.org.uk, with the subject line ‘Afghan Resettlement Scheme’.