New report recommends UK should set ambitious target of resettling at least 10,000 refugees per year
A new report published last week by the International Rescue Committee UK (IRC UK) recommends ways in which the UK can strengthen refugee resettlement and integration.
IRC UK's 32-page report is available here.
The report analyses lessons from the UK's current refugee response schemes and sets out a three-point plan to improve the UK's response: "Firstly, commit to an ambitious and achievable resettlement target of at least 10,000 places a year. … Secondly, publish a National Integration Strategy, and thirdly, prioritise the refugee response by reinstating the post of Minister for Refugees."
IRC UK says the UK has historically had a strong tradition of offering refuge to those fleeing persecution and conflict, but this has come under challenge in recent years, especially with the New Plan for Immigration and the Nationality and Borders Act 2022.
"[D]espite committing to 'strengthen the Government-backed routes available to those in need' the UK has struggled to deliver on its resettlement commitments," IRC UK added.
The UK Resettlement Scheme (UKRS), established in 2019, aimed to resettle 5,000 refugees in its first year. Implementation of the UKRS was delayed until 2021 due to COVID-19 and it only resettled 1,101 in the year ending September 2022.
The report notes: "UK resettlement figures are now lagging behind other G7 economies such as Germany, France, and Canada, with implications for its global standing and credibility. Without investments in the sustainable increase of resettlement, the UK risks undermining its own commitment to the Global Compact on Refugees and damaging its global standing by failing to share responsibility for refugee protection."
While IRC UK acknowledges and welcomes the UK's bespoke schemes to offer safety to people from Ukraine and Afghanistan, it notes, for example, that the Ukraine scheme circumvents the rights and entitlements afforded to refugees under the 1951 Refugee Convention by relying on visa led processes.
IRC UK recommends that these bespoke schemes should complement longer-term, sustainable efforts that can respond to rising levels of forced displacement and enable the UK to play an effective role in global responsibility sharing. An ambitious target of resettling at least 10,000 refugees per year should be set.
The report states: "The original target of resettling 5,000 refugees in year one of the UKRS was not met and at the time of writing the scheme had been paused for new cases. As a first step, the Government should fully operationalise the scheme as part of increasing its capacity. This is vital preparatory work ahead of delivering a substantial pledge and would support maintaining the UK's resettlement infrastructure. The second step should be for the UK to commit to a target of resettling at least 10,000 refugees per year. Targets can help strengthen accountability, but also support partners in the resettlement process such as UNHCR, IOM, local authorities, and civil society to plan for the operational delivery of resettlement and integration programming by ensuring appropriate funding and resourcing."
Improvements are also needed to better integrate refugees when they reach safety in the UK.
IRC UK said: "Firstly, there is no dedicated strategy defining a comprehensive approach to delivering refugee integration in the UK. Secondly, there is a lack of integration service provision upon arrival. Not only does this compromise the chance for newly arrived refugees to rebuild their lives, but also puts individuals at greater risk of exploitation, as they lack familiarity with rights and protections. These gaps, coupled with the continued denial of the right to work for asylum seekers, represent important structural obstacles to delivering high quality integration support and successful outcomes."
In a separate article accompanying the report, IRC UK notes, for example, that the UK government isn't providing enough English language support for refugees to start work and support their families.
The report calls on the UK to develop a National Integration Strategy that should include increased and tailored English language support, individualised employment support, and the delivery of integration services from an early stage at pre-departure and upon arrival. It is also the latest report to recommend granting asylum seekers the right to work.
Laura Kyrke-Smith, IRC UK's executive director, says such support doesn't just help refugees unlock their own potential, it also strengthens thriving, cohesive communities in the UK.