Challenge to Afghan relocation policy successful, affecting thousands of at-risk Afghan nationals

This was a successful challenge to a policy concerning Afghan nationals who had been found eligible for relocation to the UK under the ARAP scheme, and their families. More than 3,000 eligible Afghan nationals had fled Afghanistan to Pakistan, Iran and other countries, to escape being harmed by the Taliban, on the assurance that they would be relocated to the UK. Earlier this year the government adopted a policy, initially in secret, that those people would not be given visas, and would not be enabled to travel to the UK, until housing had been secured here. But for most of those 3,000 people, it was not possible to secure housing while they were outside the UK. Several claimants challenged the policy, by judicial review. In consequence, and following hearings last week, the government abandoned the policy and has committed to relocating the 3,000 of so eligible Afghan nationals to the UK as soon as possible.

Adam Straw KC represented one of the claimants, along with Miranda Butler, instructed by Erin Alcock from Leigh Day.

Media includes: Independent