Staffordshire councils offer to help relocate Afghan interpreters

The Home Office has called on local authorities across the country to help interpreters who have assisted the Armed Forces in Afghanistan during the past 15 years to relocate to the UK.

And Stoke on Trent and Staffordshire councils have offered to support up to 25 interpreters and their families to find new homes in the city and county.

Cannock Chase Council cabinet members backed the scheme at their meeting on Thursday.

Council leader Olivia Lyons said: “They supported us on the frontline and assisted our armed forces. Staffordshire and this council has a duty to support those who have supported our armed forces, ensuring they are safely integrated into our society.”

Cabinet members heard that an initial offer had been made to support one interpreter and their family in the area and agreed to allow the authority’s chief executive, in consultation with the leader of the council to confirm the council’s future participation in the scheme.

Home Office grants are being provided to fund accommodation, as well as advice and assistance to help the families access employment, welfare benefits, education and health services.

A report to the cabinet meeting revealed that current funding rates included cash support for up to four months at a rate of £58.90 for a single person under 25, £74.35 for over 25s, £117.10 for couples and £37.75 for children aged under 18.

It added: “In line with the plans for the withdrawal of UK troops from Afghanistan, there is a pressing need to accelerate the pace of relocations to the UK for families currently in Afghanistan who are eligible to participate. The Home Office are therefore seeking to relocate all those eligible as soon as possible.

“The Home Office are seeking to relocate 1,500 individuals by the end of June with a total of approximately 5,000 before the final withdrawal of the troops later this year.

“Stoke and Staffordshire have now confirmed to the Home Office an offer of a joint programme, with commitments to participate in the scheme to a level of 15 interpreters or families in the first cohort, with a total of 25 overall across city and county.

“The key role of the council will be to provide for the rehousing of family within their area. Options include rehousing within the within the private rented sector or by registered housing providers, other stock holding organisations or council housing stock.

“As this is a funded scheme it is not envisaged that there will be any direct financial implications on the council, with any costs being met by funding income.”

The relocation scheme has been in place since 2013. It enables interpreters who served for a year or more continuously on the frontline in Helmand from May 2006 and were made redundant the opportunity to apply for relocation to the UK.

Plans to speed up the relocation of interpreters and their families were announced by the Government earlier this year.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said: “We owe a debt of gratitude to our interpreters and other locally employed staff who risked their lives working alongside UK forces in Afghanistan.

“We have always made clear that nobody’s life should be put at risk because they supported the UK Government to promote peace and stability in Afghanistan.

“As we withdraw our Armed Forces, it is only right we accelerate the relocation of those who may be at risk of reprisals.

“The Home Secretary and I are going to do everything to make sure we recognise their services and bring them to safety. It is the right thing to do.”