UK tells Afghans promised sanctuary in Britain they must make their own way to safety
The UK Ministry of Defence has announced it will no longer provide in-country evacuation assistance to nearly 9,000 Afghans approved for resettlement in Britain, instructing them instead to make their own way to a third country. Defence minister Luke Pollard cited increased successful self-evacuations, security assessments, and cost considerations as reasons for ending direct support. Those awaiting relocation will now need to reach a third country independently to access visa and housing support, which will remain available until December 2028. The decision follows a major data breach linked to the MoD that endangered applicants and has drawn criticism from advocacy groups.
- ▪The UK will no longer help nearly 9,000 approved Afghan refugees evacuate from Afghanistan, requiring them to reach a third country on their own.
- ▪Defence minister Luke Pollard stated the decision was based on evidence of successful self-evacuations, risk assessments, and value for taxpayers.
- ▪Support for Afghan resettlement, including housing and visa processing, will end completely by December 2028.
- ▪Six UK hotels currently house Afghan families, but two are set to close within days as part of the drawdown.
- ▪Two approved Afghans are taking legal action against the MoD for failing to assist their evacuation from Afghanistan.
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NewsUKHome NewsUK tells Afghans promised sanctuary in Britain they must make their own way to safetyDespite previous promises to honour debt to Afghans, Ministry of Defence halts evacuation help for families promised new lives in BritainHolly Bancroft Home Affairs Correspondent Tuesday 28 April 2026 17:20 BSTBookmarkCommentsGo to commentsBookmark popoverRemoved from bookmarksClose popover{"translations":{"comments":"Go to comments","share":"Share","copyLink":"Copy link","bookmark":"Bookmark","removeBookmark":"Remove bookmark"},"showComments":true,"showBookmark":true,"articleId":"b2966385","articleMeta":{"url":"https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/afghans-britain-resettlement-taliban-visa-b2966385.html","title":"UK tells Afghans promised sanctuary in Britain they must make their…
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