Over 10,000 Refugees Settled in UK Under VPRS Scheme

The UK is more than half way towards meeting its commitment to resettle 20,000 people through the Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme (VPRS) by 2020, according the new figures revealed by the Home Office today.

The latest quarterly Home Office immigration statistics show that 10,538 refugees have been resettled on the VPRS, one of the largest global resettlement programmes, since it began in 2015. The government has promised to resettle 20,000 people under the scheme by 2020.

Bishop Jonathan Clark, Chair of Safe Passage:

“This is fantastic news and testament to the commitment of the hundreds of community groups, schools and faith institutions who’ve supported Local Authorities to welcome some of the most vulnerable refugees. The recent scenes in Ghouta demonstrate just how needed these safe and legal routes to sanctuary are both for families living in countries neighbouring Syria and other conflict zones or children stuck in makeshift camps in Europe. Britain has a proud history of welcoming refugees and so just as the Government is delivering on its commitment to resettle refugees under VPRS we urge them to now deliver on their commitment to aid unaccompanied children under Lord Dubs’ amendment where less than 300 children have been transferred, and improve routes for lone child refugees to reunite with family.”