Policy paper

Communities for Afghans phase 2: policy document

Updated 15 December 2025

This document sets out policy for Phase 2 of the Communities for Afghans scheme.

1. Overview

Communities for Afghans is a sponsorship scheme for individuals from the Afghan Resettlement Programme. There is a single Afghan Resettlement Programme (ARP) for all eligible Afghans who arrive in the UK. All individuals under the ARP have Indefinite Leave to Remain.

The Communities for Afghans scheme is designed to quickly deliver safe, affordable homes, based on a community sponsorship model, enabling groups to welcome and support refugees directly in their local communities. As such, it operates differently from other resettlement programmes. Responsibility for the resettlement of households is shared between HM Government, Principal Sponsors, Sponsor Groups, and councils. Successful sponsorship arrangements therefore rely on positive engagement and collaborative working relationships between these groups. The amount of funding paid to Principal Sponsors, Sponsor Groups and councils reflects this balance in responsibilities.

Principal Sponsors have overall responsibility for the effectiveness of the Sponsor Group in supporting the household for the duration of the scheme and will provide direct support to both the household and the Sponsor Group to make sure that the resettlement goes to plan. They will recruit, train and support Sponsor Groups through the scheme and provide ongoing support. Working in tandem with councils, they are the first point of contact if any issues or challenges arise. Principal Sponsors are there to support the council and Sponsor Group in agreeing their joint approach.

Sponsor Groups will provide much of the day-to-day assistance across the 3-years of the scheme. They are responsible for sourcing accommodation and welcoming a household as well as supporting them to settle into their new community and starting to lead independent lives. Sponsor Groups are supported by funding but also have the option to fundraise should they wish to do so.

Councils will play a key role in administering funding from HM Government to the Sponsor Group, providing longer-term integration support, and maintaining statutory responsibilities including homelessness, safeguarding and social care provision. Within these guidelines, the scheme and the funding are designed to enable the council to respond flexibly to the needs of the family, and the local situation to deliver the overall outcome. Councils will receive tariff funding to be able to fulfil these responsibilities.

2. HM Government roles and responsibilities

HM Government are responsible for:

• Delivery of the scheme - HM Government provide the overall framework for delivery, working with relevant partners to facilitate this.
• Key interface with Principal Sponsors - Principal Sponsors will report regularly to HM Government, including providing updates on their interactions with Sponsor Groups and councils. HM Government will work with the Principal Sponsors to address any issues as required.
• Interface with councils - HM Government will work with councils through Strategic Migration Partnerships to consider any policy and funding issues which require intervention beyond the remit of the relevant Principal Sponsor.
• Matching - The Home Office lead on matching Sponsor Groups to households. Households will be matched to suitable Sponsor Groups based on the needs of the household and the ability of the Sponsor Group to meet those needs. Principal Sponsors will be allocated a number of households for matching to their Sponsor Groups, and those households will be reserved from other matching methods for a 4-week period, while Sponsor Groups attempt to source them suitable accommodation. If an appropriate property has not been found at the end of the 4-week period, the household will be returned to the central matching list for matching via other methods. Alongside this matching process, Sponsor Groups may submit property offers via Principal Sponsors to the Home Office, who will match a suitable family to that property. In both cases, councils will complete a welfare check after the family has moved into the property. HMG will also be using an additional matching method, whereby Principal Sponsors and Sponsor Groups work directly with councils to match Afghan Households in Temporary Accommodation to suitable properties in the same region.

3. Principal Sponsor roles and responsibilities

Principal Sponsors are responsible for:

• Recruitment – Principal Sponsors are responsible for the overall promotion of the scheme, including recruiting Sponsor Groups. Training is provided by International Rescue Committee and will cover all aspects of the Sponsor Group role, including safeguarding and data protection. Principal Sponsors are responsible for ensuring that all groups are adequately prepared before being matched to a suitable Afghan Household.
• Sponsor Payment Administration – Principal Sponsors are responsible for administering an upfront payment to Sponsor Groups. This is to be used for costs incurred before the household arrives, such as deposits and rent.  Principal Sponsors are responsible for managing the sponsor fund, from which the upfront payments are made to Sponsor Groups (the monthly support payment is paid to the Sponsor Group’s named sponsor by the council, not the Principal Sponsor).
• Support and troubleshooting – The Principal Sponsors are responsible for working with Sponsor Groups on an ongoing basis to ensure that the needs of households are being met. This includes providing advice on preparing accommodation, supporting the Sponsor Group to provide the initial welcome, and ensuring that Sponsor Groups have appropriate safeguards in place. Should any issues arise throughout the sponsorship arrangement Principal Sponsors will take action as needed to help overcome any issues and ensure that the sponsorship arrangement can continue.
• Accommodation suitability – Principal Sponsors are responsible for ensuring that the housing sourced by a Sponsor Group is of a suitable standard and size. In the case that accommodation is found to be unsuitable Principal Sponsors will work with the Sponsor Group to find an offer of suitable accommodation. If an employee of the Principal Sponsor or subsidiary organisation, one of their relatives, or a member of the Sponsor Group or one of their relatives owns the accommodation, certain conditions must be met. These are that the rent must be no more than 10% higher than similar properties in the same area, and no more than 10% above LHA rates unless this can be justified when asked by the Local Authority or MHCLG.
• Principal Sponsors will need to submit data to MHCLG regularly on the performance of the scheme. Principal Sponsors will need to always comply with data protection legislation. They are required to hold personal data on all sponsors and Afghan individuals. This will sometimes mean sharing medical health assessment forms with Sponsor Groups to enable them to make informed decisions on match offers. The data processing undertaken by Principal Sponsors is the responsibility of MHCLG, as data controller, with all Principal Sponsor and Sponsor Group processing taking place on behalf of MHCLG.

4. Sponsor Group roles and responsibilities

Sponsor Groups are responsible for:

• Property Search – Sponsor Groups are required to source ‘own front door’ (self-contained) accommodation for a period of 3 years. Sponsor Groups are provided with an upfront budget of up to £909 per person (paid via the Principal Sponsor), and a monthly budget of up to £136 per person per month (paid via the Local Authority) for 3 years to help with costs, including accommodation costs. There is no maximum household size for monthly or upfront funding, to assist with accommodating larger Afghan households. Houses in Multiple Occupancy (HMOs) may be used to house single people as part of the scheme.
• Initial welcome – Sponsor Groups are responsible for leading the initial welcome; supporting the household in settling in and making community links and providing holistic and informal support. Sponsor Groups are also responsible for supporting households to engage with services; for example, with accessing council service referrals, signing up for Universal Credit, and supporting households in the search for work.
• Ongoing support – Sponsor Groups are responsible for providing ongoing support to meet the needs of households. The form of support provided should reflect the unique position and needs of the household, and Sponsor Groups, with agreement from Principal Sponsors, can use their discretion to determine what is appropriate.
• Work and benefits – Sponsor Groups are responsible for working with the council to support Afghan households participating in the scheme to access economic opportunities in the UK, including work and/or education, and benefits as required. Sponsor Groups should therefore take action to ensure that the household’s initial needs are being met, that appropriate service referrals have taken place and benefits accessed. Sponsor Groups should support households in achieving economic independence by the end of the 3-year sponsorship period.
• English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) – Sponsor Groups should work with the council to identify the method of ESOL delivery most suitable for the household.

Sponsor Group Eligibility

• To qualify as a Sponsor Group, a group must consist of at least 6 individuals, from at least 2 households. One member of the Sponsor Group must be identified as the named sponsor for funding assurance purposes. At least one member of the group must be a British citizen or have settled status.
• Sponsor Groups can choose how to receive funding: as an existing organisation; as a newly constituted group (with bank account); to the bank account of the named sponsor; or for the Principal Sponsor to hold it for the Sponsor Group to draw down when needed. However funds are received, the Sponsor Group must keep monies paid to them for the administration of Communities for Afghans separate from other funds, and keep detailed accounts; responsibility for ensuring this is the case lies with the named sponsor

5. Council roles and responsibilities

In addition to their statutory duties, the council are responsible for the following categories of support:

• Meeting the Sponsor Group – Sponsor Groups and Principal Sponsors will inform councils when they are looking at a move in the council’s area. Councils will be able to share any relevant information, for example on particular areas they would suggest are unsuitable for resettling Afghan households. Councils should maintain relationships with the Sponsor Groups for the duration of the 3 years to ensure the Sponsor Group are still actively supporting the household.
• Safeguarding and settling in – The Principal Sponsor and the Home Office will conduct various security checks on Sponsor Groups ahead of a match taking place, and the Principal Sponsor will have overall responsibility for assessing a Sponsor Group’s suitability. However, councils will be responsible for conducting a post-arrival welfare check on the household as soon as possible (and within 4 weeks) after their move into accommodation sourced by the Sponsor Groups. The aim will be to ensure households participating in the scheme are housed within safe arrangements, that their initial needs are being met and appropriate service referrals have taken place. Existing statutory safeguarding duties in relation to children and vulnerable people continue to apply.
• Accommodation suitability – Housing suitability should be in line with standards specified by the council and/or the Devolved Government. If a hazard, defect or disrepair in the accommodation is identified, tariff funding can be used to enforce expectations where appropriate against the private landlord under the Housing Act 2004, or to support the household to take action themselves under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 or the Homes (Fitness for Habitation) Act 2018 or any other relevant legislation. In Scotland, you should refer to the Repairing Standard rules in Section 13 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006 and the Repairing Standard Guidance and the Meeting the Tolerable Standard Guidance. In Wales, you should consider Welsh Housing Quality Standards and the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016. In the scenario that accommodation cannot be made suitable, the Principal Sponsor will work with the Sponsor Group to find another offer of suitable accommodation.
• Homelessness assistance – If a household faces a risk of becoming homeless, for example if accommodation cannot be made suitable and alternative accommodation cannot be found, then the council’s existing statutory homelessness duties will apply- the £14,000 per person should be used for this purpose.
• Administering monthly sponsor payments – Councils are responsible for administering monthly support payments to the named sponsor within the Sponsor Group for the duration of 3 years. Councils are expected to make the first payment within 30 days of a post-arrival welfare check being passed. Payments will be paid to councils quarterly in arrears. Councils must record the number of Sponsor Group payments made quarterly via DELTA. MHCLG have put checks and assurances in place to ensure that those responsible for handling funding are suitable and that funding is held in an appropriate account. There is no requirement for councils to check how the funding is being used but councils can stop payments if they have reason to believe the funding is being used fraudulently.  In this case, the council should alert the Principal Sponsor and MHCLG.

Phase 2 monthly payments to Sponsor Groups, administered by councils (for households who move in from 1 October 2025)

Afghan household size	Per month for 3 years
1 person household	£136
2-person household	£272
3-person household	£408
4-person household	£544
5-person household	£680
6-person household	£816
Increase by £136 for each additional household

• Work and benefits – Councils should ensure that appropriate service referrals have taken place during the post-arrival welfare check. The Sponsor Groups is responsible for ensuring that wherever possible, households are supported to achieve economic independence enabling them to sustain their existing tenancies earlier than the end of the 2- or 3-year support period (depending on when the household joined the scheme).
• ESOL – Councils are responsible for the provision of English language training for arrivals under Communities for Afghans and will receive a tariff for this. The purpose of English language training is to ensure that each Adult Beneficiary can progress towards the level of proficiency needed to function in their everyday life; to promote integration; and to support those resettling in the UK to progress towards self-sufficiency, including accessing services or joining the workforce. Recognising that different Adult Beneficiaries will face different challenges in accessing English language support, there is not a singular uniform activity that councils must facilitate. Instead, councils have the discretion to deliver the provision of English language training as they see fit, informed by the nature of existing local provision and by each Adult Beneficiary’s specific circumstances and English language requirements. As such, councils may work with Sponsor Groups to identify the method of delivery most suitable to the household.
• Education – Councils are expected to offer the following support with regards to education provision for the Communities for Afghans cohort:
  • to fulfil their statutory duty to ensure educational places are available for children of school age within the Communities for Afghans cohort, in state-funded establishments
  • to fulfil their statutory obligations regarding the assessment of Special Educational Needs & Disabilities (SEND)

Councils are responsible for ensuring that the appropriate level of funding is paid to places of education (including schools, academies, free schools, and further education colleges, as appropriate) who accept beneficiaries from the relevant age groups.

Core tariff funding for councils  

The purpose of the Communities for Afghans scheme core tariff grant is to provide a per-person tariff to support councils in providing wrap-around support to Afghans participating in this sponsorship project, to rebuild their lives and fully integrate into communities. There will be 3 years of tariff funding available for arrivals under the Communities for Afghans project. The tariff amount per person for phase 2 is £5,200 for Year 1, £5,300 for Year 2 and £3,500 for Year 3 totalling £14,000.

Councils have the discretion to spend this tariff on activities outside of the categories listed in the roles and responsibilities section, providing that it is still used to support the Communities for Afghans cohort. The Communities for Afghans project tariff is not ringfenced to a specific financial year.

The grant will be paid in arrears, based on actual data on guest arrivals under Communities for Afghans. Payments will be made in full every quarter. The number of guest arrivals and completion of post-arrival welfare checks must be recorded quarterly via DELTA and signed off by the council’s Section 151 Officer in order for funds to be paid. In two tier areas, the grant will be paid to upper tier authorities.

Pursuant to section 31(5) of the Local Government Act 2003, the Secretary of State determines that the grant will be paid subject to the following conditions:

• A recipient authority must use the funding to carry out activities pertaining to the operationalising of the Communities for Afghans project, as set out in the roles and responsibilities section, including completing a post arrival welfare check as soon as possible after arrival (and within 4 weeks), and before the tariff is claimed.
• A recipient authority must commission or provide services that ensure Afghan households participating in the scheme and Sponsor Groups are provided with a source of advice and support to assist with registering for mainstream benefits and services, including, where necessary, specialist public health services and community integration.
• In two tier areas, upper tier authorities must agree a plan locally to:
  • make payments to lower tier authorities in relation to all the services which they provide to Afghan households participating in the Communities for Afghans project, including for services such as homelessness assistance for which lower tier authorities are responsible; and
  • make an immediate payment to lower tier authorities in relation to any upfront costs

ESOL tariff

The purpose of the Communities for Afghans project ESOL tariff grant is to provide a per-adult tariff to support councils in providing English language provision to eligible Afghans participating in this sponsorship scheme, to help their progress towards economic self-sufficiency and support their wider integration into UK society. This is a one-off payment of £850 per adult.

Councils have flexibility in how the ESOL tariff is spent, as set out in the roles and responsibilities section. Possible activities this tariff can be used for include, but are not limited to:

• Undertaking an assessment of each adult beneficiary’s English language capability to determine their training needs. This should be undertaken at the earliest opportunity.
• If formal language training is deemed appropriate, supporting the delivery of at least 8 hours per week of formal English language provision within 1 month of a beneficiary’s arrival or, for those already in the UK, at the start of recipient support. This should be provided to adult beneficiaries until they have reached Entry Level 3 (or equivalent) or for at least 12 months after the start of recipient support (whichever is the sooner).
• Commissioning tailored formal language training classes and/or providing advanced classes for those that have a higher level of English language proficiency.
• Support preparation for language proficiency tests to access employment, further education, or higher education.
• Increasing ESOL infrastructure, for example training ESOL teachers, buying equipment and renting classroom space.
• Supporting activities that help overcome accessibility barriers, such as caring responsibilities or lack of transport. This could include offering classes at flexible times, including evenings and weekends, and funding online resources and/or provision to complement face-to-face services.
• Provision of informal language training, where this is considered to be in the best interest of the beneficiary, for example because they are assessed as being pre-entry ESOL level.

Pursuant to section 31(5) of the Local Government Act 2003, the Secretary of State determines that the ESOL tariff grant will be paid subject to the following conditions:

• A recipient authority must use the funding to carry out activities pertaining to the English language needs of arrivals participating in the Communities for Afghans Project.
• In two tier areas, upper tier authorities must agree a plan locally to:
• make payments to lower tier authorities in relation to any English language services which they provide to arrivals participating in the Communities for Afghans project, and
• make an immediate payment to lower tier authorities in relation to any upfront costs

Education tariff

The purpose of the Communities for Afghans scheme education tariff grant is to support councils to fulfil their statutory duty for ensuring educational places are available for children of school age within the Communities for Afghans cohort. The amount of funding available for arrivals is £4,500 per child in school and/or further education aged between 5 and 18 years old, and £2,250 per child aged between 3 and 4 years old.

Councils have the discretion to spend this tariff on activities outside of those outlined in the roles and responsibilities section, providing that it is still used to support education provision for school-age arrivals under the Communities for Afghans project.

The grant will be paid in arrears, based on actual data on Afghan household arrivals under Communities for Afghans. Payments will be made in full every quarter, to capture new arrivals in each quarter. In two tier areas, the grant will be paid to upper tier authorities.

Pursuant to section 31(5) of the Local Government Act 2003, the Secretary of State determines that the grant will be paid subject to the following conditions:

• A recipient authority must use the funding to carry out activities pertaining to the education needs of children and minors involved in the Communities for Afghans Project, as set out in Annex B and the accompanying guidance.
• In two tier areas, upper tier authorities must agree a plan locally to:
• make payments to lower tier authorities wherever relevant in relation to any education services which they provide to Afghan children participating in the Communities for Afghans Project, and
• make an immediate payment to lower tier authorities in relation to any upfront costs
• The Communities for Afghans project tariff is not ringfenced to a specific financial year.

For each of the tariffs:

• A recipient authority must ensure records of post arrival welfare checks are kept up to date, and accurate quarterly DELTA returns are submitted signed off by the council’s Section 151 Officer, as set out in guidance.
• Where the amount of grant paid to an authority exceeds the authority’s actual pressures (based on the number of households partaking in the Communities for Afghans project resident in their area), the difference shall be repaid to the Secretary of State. In addition, if the department is made aware that an authority is in breach of the grant conditions above, it reserves the right to recover funding.

Data monitoring for councils

• Councils will be required to submit quarterly DELTA returns which capture the number of individuals, families and sponsor payments made. Councils are not required to provide any data returns on outcomes or impact of resettlement support. However, councils are welcome to maintain regular contact between themselves, the Sponsor Group, and the family, to assure themselves that progress is being made.
• MHCLG will continue to keep the approach to data monitoring under review and will update guidance on data returns accordingly.

5. Strategic Migration Partnership roles and responsibilities

SMPs are responsible for the following:

• MHCLG updates – SMPs are responsible for circulating messages and updates from Government, as well as coordinating responses to Government commissions to provide a cohesive regional response.
• Engagement – SMPs are responsible for holding regular meetings with councils. SMP will provide updates on the scheme, councils will provide updates on delivery. SMP will advise MHCLG of emerging issues.
• Delivery support – SMPs are responsible for supporting councils with queries about the scheme and will advise MHCLG if this guidance requires clarification.

6. Funding

Funding is projected to split across the scheme as follows:

Recipient and purpose	Per person	Per household
Principal Sponsors for administration of scheme	£1,507	£8,290
Training partner	£181	£1,000
Sponsor Group upfront e.g. deposit	£909	£5,000
Sponsor Group Monthly e.g. rent	£4,909	£27,000
Council funding	£14,000	£77,000

Principal Sponsor funding and Sponsor Group support have been agreed through Grant Funding Agreements. The above numbers are based on the average Afghan household size of 5.5.

7. Glossary

ARP: 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 brought under the ARP include ACRS and ARAP.

ACRS: The Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS). This is a referral-based resettlement scheme which prioritises vulnerable people and those who assisted UK efforts in Afghanistan.

ARAP: The Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP). This is for Afghan citizens who worked for or with the UK government in Afghanistan in exposed or meaningful roles and may include an offer of relocation to the UK for those deemed eligible by the Ministry of Defence and who are deemed suitable for relocation by the Home Office. ARP will also include any relevant instances where leave outside the rules has been granted.

Cohort: Used to refer to the overall group of Afghan refugees.

CfA: Communities for Afghans. The confirmed name of the scheme aimed at providing accommodation and community integration for Afghan refugees in the ACRS cohort.

DA: Devolved Administrations. The governments of Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, who will be involved in the CfA efforts in their respective countries.

Department: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

ESOL: English for Speakers of Other Languages. A programme dedicated to providing English language lessons to students who did not learn English as their native tongue and/ or continue to use other than English as a dominant language

EPPS: Environmental Principles Policy Statement. A policy statement which sets out how we will reduce the impact of the CfA scheme on the environment, and which provides a framework for setting objectives and targets to improve its environmental performance

HfU: Homes for Ukraine. Homes for Ukraine is a sponsorship scheme that allows people and organisations in the UK to offer Ukrainians fleeing the war a home

HMO: Houses in Multiple Occupation. A home is classed as an HMO if at least 3 tenants live there, forming more than 1 household. Toilet, bathroom, or kitchen facilities are shared with other tenants

Integration tariff: Local authorities receive integration tariff funding of up to £20,520 per person, over 3 years, for each Afghan household they resettle, so that they can rebuild their lives and fully integrate into communities.

Lead Sponsor: The lead member of a sponsor group, responsible for receiving and managing the group’s funding.

PNC: Police National Check. A PNC check is a search of the Police National Computer (PNC), which is a database of criminal records held by the police in England and Wales. The PNC contains information on people who have been convicted of crimes, cautioned, or given a warning. These checks may form a part of CfA safeguarding.

Principal Sponsor: A primary group or organisation designated by MHCLG as responsible for organising and co-ordinating with regional or community Sponsor Groups and resettlement partners.

PRS: The Private Rented Sector (PRS) is a classification of housing in the UK. The basic Private Rented Sector definition is: property owned by a landlord and leased to a tenant. The landlord, in this case, could be an individual, a property company or an institutional investor.

SMP: Strategic Migration Partnership. SMPs are local government led partnerships funded by, but independent of, the Home Office, whose role is to coordinate and support delivery of national programmes in asylum and refugee schemes as well as agreed regional and devolved migration priorities

Sponsor Group: An individual or group individuals with access to the necessary resources to facilitate sponsorship of Afghan arrivals. The group should be made up of a minimum of 6 members, who together can provide the necessary infrastructure required to source accommodation, funding, and support for Afghan arrivals. The group will be led by a Lead Sponsor (see definition above).