Policy paper

Communities for Afghans project: guidance for councils

Updated 21 October 2025

Roles and responsibilities of councils in the Communities for Afghans project.

1. What this guidance covers and definitions

These pages contain guidance for councils on the Communities for Afghans scheme. This information does not replace or contradict their statutory duties or responsibilities.

All households who move into a home after 1 October 2025 will be on phase 2 of the scheme. Most of the policy is the same for both phases. Unless this document says policies are only for phase 1 or phase 2, please assume they apply to both phases.

2. Overview of the Communities for Afghans

Communities for Afghans is a sponsorship scheme for individuals requiring accommodation and support on the Afghan Resettlement Programme. It is designed to deliver safe, affordable homes. It is based on the community sponsorship model, enabling local community groups to welcome and support refugees directly in their local communities. This document sets out the responsibilities of councils and key stakeholders.

Rather than having sole responsibility for the resettlement support of a family, councils share responsibility with the Sponsor Group- that is a group of at least 6 volunteers who will help households settle in their local area, and the Principal Sponsor- an organisation receiving grant funding to deliver Communities for Afghans, including recruiting Sponsor Groups.

Councils will play a key role in funding delivery, providing longer-term integration support and statutory responsibilities including homelessness, safeguarding and social care provision. Within these guidelines, the programme and the funding is designed to enable both the council and Sponsor Group to respond flexibly to the needs of the family, and the local situation to deliver the overall outcome. Successful sponsorship arrangements will rely on positive engagement and collaborative working relationships between councils, Principal Sponsors and Sponsor Groups.

3. Council roles and responsibilities

Councils receive a tariff of £14,000 per person on phase 2. That is £5200 in year 1, £5300 in year 2, and £3500 in year 3. Councils have a number of important functions in supporting the Communities for Afghans project:

• Meeting the Sponsor Group – Sponsor Groups and Principal Sponsors will inform councils when they are looking at a move in the council’s area. Councils will be able to share any relevant information, for example on particular areas they would suggest are unsuitable for resettling Afghan households. Councils should maintain relationships with the Sponsor Groups for the duration of the 3 years to ensure the Sponsor Group are still actively supporting the household.

• Safeguarding and settling in – The Principal Sponsor and the Home Office will conduct various security checks on Sponsor Groups ahead of a match taking place, and the Principal Sponsor will have overall responsibility for assessing a Sponsor Group’s suitability. However, councils will be responsible for conducting a post-arrival welfare check on the household as soon as possible (and within 4 weeks) after their move into accommodation sourced by the Sponsor Groups. The aim will be to ensure households participating in the scheme are housed within safe arrangements, that their initial needs are being met and appropriate service referrals have taken place. Existing statutory safeguarding duties in relation to children and vulnerable people continue to apply.

• Homelessness assistance – Should a household face a risk of becoming homeless then in the first instance Citizens UK will work with the sponsor group and the council to mitigate this risk as needed. In the scenario that accommodation is found to be unsuitable then in the first instance Citizens UK will work with the sponsor group to find another offer of suitable accommodation. However, if a household can no longer stay in the sponsorship accommodation and does not have any other alternative, suitable accommodation available to them, then the council’s existing statutory homelessness duties will apply.

• Accommodation suitability – Housing suitability should be in line with standards specified by the council and/or the Devolved Government. If a hazard, defect or disrepair in the accommodation is identified, tariff funding can be used to enforce expectations where appropriate against the private landlord under the Housing Act 2004, or to support the household to take action themselves under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 or the Homes (Fitness for Habitation) Act 2018 or any other relevant legislation. In Scotland, you should refer to the Repairing Standard rules in Section 13 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006, the Repairing Standard Guidance and Meeting the Tolerable Standard guidance. In the scenario that accommodation cannot be made suitable, the Principal Sponsor will work with the Sponsor Group to find another offer of suitable accommodation.

• Homelessness assistance – If a household faces a risk of becoming homeless, for example if accommodation cannot be made suitable and alternative accommodation cannot be found, then the council’s existing statutory homelessness duties will apply- the £14,000 per person should be used for this purpose.

• Administering sponsor payments – Councils will be responsible for administering monthly support payments to the named sponsor within the Sponsor Group for the duration of 3 years (2 years for anyone who moved in before October 2025).

• Education – Councils will be expected to offer the following support with regards to education provision for the Communities for Afghans cohort:

Phase 1 monthly payments to Sponsor Groups, administered by councils (for households who move in before October 2025)

Afghan household size	Per month for 2 years
1- or 2-person household	£200
3-person household	£300
4-person household	£400
5-person household	£500

Phase 2 monthly payments to Sponsor Groups, administered by councils (for households who move in from 1 October 2025)

Afghan household size	Per month for 3 years
1 person household	£136
2 person household	£272
3-person household	£408
4-person household	£544
5-person household	£680
5-person household	£816
Increase by £136 for each additional household

Payments will be paid to councils quarterly in arrears in addition to the £14,000 tariff. Wherever possible, the first payment should be paid to the Sponsor Group within a month of the household arriving at their accommodation. For example, if a household arrives on 10 June, first payment is due on 10 July, and then the 10th day of every month thereafter. Wherever possible, this payment structure should be adhered to. Councils must record the number of Sponsor Group payments made quarterly via DELTA. MHCLG have put checks and assurance in place to ensure that the Sponsor Groups responsible for handling funding are appropriate and that funding is held in an appropriate account. The £136 per person per month is intended to be used for rent top ups, bills and other day to day costs- all claims should be for the use of the household rather than the Sponsor Group. Receipts should be kept. There is no requirement for councils to check how the funding is being used but councils can stop payments if they have reason to believe the funding is being used fraudulently (for example, if the Sponsor Group are keeping funding for themselves). In this case, the council should alert the Principal Sponsor and MHCLG.

• Work and benefits – Councils should ensure that appropriate service referrals have taken place during the post-arrival welfare check. The Sponsor Groups is responsible for ensuring that wherever possible, households are supported to achieve economic independence enabling them to sustain their existing tenancies earlier than the end of the 2 or 3 year support period (depending on when the household joined the scheme).

• English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) – Councils will be responsible for the provision of English language training for arrivals under Communities for Afghans. The purpose of English language training is to ensure that each adult beneficiary can progress towards the level of proficiency needed to function in their everyday life; to promote integration; and to support those resettling in the UK to progress towards self-sufficiency, including accessing services or joining the workforce. Councils have the discretion to deliver the provision of English language training as they see fit, informed by the nature of existing local provision and by each adult beneficiary’s specific circumstances and English language requirements, as such councils may work with Sponsor Groups to identify the method of delivery most suitable to the household.

• Education – Councils will be expected to offer the following support with regards to education provision for the Communities for Afghans cohort:

• to fulfil their statutory duty to ensure educational places are available for children of school age within the Communities for Afghans cohort, in state-funded establishments
• to fulfil their statutory obligations regarding the assessment of Special Educational Needs & Disabilities (SEND)

Councils will be responsible for ensuring that the appropriate level of funding is paid to places of education (including schools, academies, free schools, and Further Education colleges, as appropriate) who accept beneficiaries from the relevant age groups.

4. Strategic Migration Partnership roles and responsibilities

Generally, SMPs will be kept informed of moves in their area, may relay information from MHCLG to councils, and relay information from councils to MHCLG including highlighting common issues and trends. If councils have questions about Communities for Afghans, they should ask their SMP.

5. Principal Sponsor roles and responsibilities

The Principal Sponsors who have currently signed to delivery CfA Phase 2 are Afghan Welcome Project (led by Pickwell Foundation), Gulab Sorkh Foundation, and Refugee Council with Action Foundation.

The Principal Sponsors are responsible for the following:

• Sponsor Group recruitment – The Principal Sponsors are responsible for the overall promotion of the project, including recruiting Sponsor Groups. In phase 2, Sponsor Group training is delivered by International Rescue Committee.

• Administering upfront sponsor payments – Principal Sponsors are responsible for administering the upfront payment to Sponsor Groups. This is to be used for pre-arrival costs such as deposits and rent. Principal Sponsors also manage the flow of funding to Sponsor Groups to meet costs incurred.

• Support and troubleshooting – The Principal Sponsors are responsible for working with Sponsor Groups on an ongoing basis to ensure that the needs of households are being met. This includes providing advice on preparing accommodation, supporting the Sponsor Group to provide the initial welcome, and ensuring that Sponsor Groups have appropriate safeguards in place. Should any issues arise throughout the sponsorship arrangement Principal Sponsors will take action as needed to help overcome any issues and ensure that the sponsorship arrangement can continue.

6. Sponsor Group roles and responsibilities

Sponsor Groups will be responsible for the day to day direct support of households including the following:

• Property search – Sponsor Groups are required to source ‘own front door’ (self-contained) accommodation for Afghan households for a period of 2 years [for those on Phase One] and 3 years [for those on Phase Two]. Sponsor Groups will be provided with an upfront budget (up to £909 per person paid to them by the Principal Sponsor), and monthly budget of up to £136 per person per month to help with costs (for example, accommodation costs).

• Initial welcome – Sponsor Groups are responsible for leading the initial welcome. This includes arranging transport to accommodation, supporting local orientation, making community links and settling in, and providing holistic and informal welcome support to households. Sponsor Groups are also responsible for supporting households to engage with services, for example accessing council service referrals, signing up for Universal Credit, as well as supporting households with the search for work.

• Ongoing support – Sponsor Groups are responsible for providing ongoing support to meet the needs of households. The form of support provided should reflect the unique position and needs of the household. As such Sponsor Groups, with agreement from the Principal Sponsor, may act at their discretion to support the family. Ongoing support provided by the Sponsor Group may include the provision of ESOL, if agreed by the council.

7. Payments and funding

Government provides funding to Sponsor Groups, Principal Sponsors and councils to support eligible Afghans participating in the Communities for Afghans project to rebuild their lives and fully integrate into communities.

Councils will be eligible to claim the following grants:

Core tariff grant

The purpose of the Communities for Afghans scheme core tariff grant is to provide a per-person tariff to support councils in providing wrap-around support to Afghans participating in this sponsorship project, to rebuild their lives and fully integrate into communities. There will be 3 years of tariff funding available for arrivals under the Communities for Afghans project. The tariff amount per person:

• for phase 1 is £5,900 for Year 1, £6,000 in Year 2, and £4,020 in Year 3 totalling £15,920.
• and for phase 2 is £5,200 for Year 1, £5,300 for Year 2 and £3,500 for Year 3 totalling £14,000.

Councils have the discretion to spend this tariff on activities outside of the categories listed in the roles and responsibilities section, providing that it is still used to support the Communities for Afghans cohort. The Communities for Afghans project tariff is not ringfenced to a specific financial year.

The grant will be paid in arrears, based on actual data on guest arrivals under Communities for Afghans. Payments will be made in full every quarter. The number of guest arrivals and completion of post-arrival welfare checks must be recorded quarterly via DELTA and signed off by the council’s Section 151 Officer in order for funds to be paid. In two tier areas, the grant will be paid to upper tier authorities.

Pursuant to section 31(5) of the Local Government Act 2003, the Secretary of State determines that the grant will be paid subject to the following conditions:

• A recipient authority must use the funding to carry out activities pertaining to the operationalising of the Communities for Afghans project, as set out in the roles and responsibilities section, including completing a post arrival welfare check as soon as possible after arrival (and within 4 weeks), and before the tariff is claimed.

• A recipient authority must commission or provide services that ensure Afghan households participating in the scheme and Sponsor Groups are provided with a source of advice and support to assist with registering for mainstream benefits and services, including, where necessary, specialist public health services and community integration.

• In two tier areas, upper tier authorities must agree a plan locally to:

• make payments to lower tier authorities in relation to all of the services which they provide to Afghan households participating in the Communities for Afghans project, including for services such as homelessness assistance for which lower tier authorities are responsible; and
• make an immediate payment to lower tier authorities in relation to any upfront costs

ESOL tariff

The purpose of the Communities for Afghans project ESOL tariff grant is to provide a per-adult tariff to support councils in providing English language provision to eligible Afghans participating in this sponsorship scheme, to help their progress towards economic self-sufficiency and support their wider integration into UK society. This is a one-off payment of £850 per adult.

Councils have flexibility in how the ESOL tariff is spent, as set out in the roles and responsibilities section. Possible activities this tariff can be used for include but are not limited to:

• Undertaking an assessment of each adult beneficiary’s English language capability to determine their training needs. This should be undertaken at the earliest opportunity.

• If formal language training is deemed appropriate, supporting the delivery of at least 8 hours per week of formal English language provision within 1 month of a beneficiary’s arrival or, for those already in the UK, at the start of recipient support. This should be provided to adult beneficiaries until they have reached Entry Level 3 (or equivalent) or for at least 12 months after the start of recipient support (whichever is the sooner).

• Commissioning tailored formal language training classes and/or providing advanced classes for those that have a higher level of English language proficiency.

• Support preparation for language proficiency tests to access employment, further education, or higher education.

• Increasing ESOL infrastructure, for example training ESOL teachers, buying equipment and renting classroom space.

• Supporting activities that help overcome accessibility barriers, such as caring responsibilities or lack of transport. This could include offering classes at flexible times, including evenings and weekends, and funding online resources and/or provision to complement face-to-face services.

• Provision of informal language training, where this is considered to be in the best interest of the beneficiary, for example because they are assessed as being pre-entry ESOL level.

Pursuant to section 31(5) of the Local Government Act 2003, the Secretary of State determines that the ESOL tariff grant will be paid subject to the following conditions:

• A recipient authority must use the funding to carry out activities pertaining to the English language needs of arrivals participating in the Communities for Afghans Project.

• In two tier areas, upper tier authorities must agree a plan locally to:

• make payments to lower tier authorities in relation to any English language services which they provide to arrivals participating in the Communities for Afghans project, and

• make an immediate payment to lower tier authorities in relation to any upfront costs

Education tariff

The purpose of the Communities for Afghans scheme education tariff grant is to support councils to fulfil their statutory duty for ensuring educational places are available for children of school age within the Communities for Afghans cohort. The amount of funding available for arrivals is £4,500 per child in school and/or further education aged between 5 and 18 years old, and £2,250 per child aged between 3 and 4 years old.

Councils have the discretion to spend this tariff on activities outside of those outlined in the roles and responsibilities section, providing that it is still used to support education provision for school-age arrivals under the Communities for Afghans project.

The grant will be paid in arrears, based on actual data on Afghan household arrivals under Communities for Afghans. Payments will be made in full every quarter, to capture new arrivals in each quarter. In two tier areas, the grant will be paid to upper tier authorities.

Pursuant to section 31(5) of the Local Government Act 2003, the Secretary of State determines that the grant will be paid subject to the following conditions:

• A recipient authority must use the funding to carry out activities pertaining to the education needs of children and minors involved in the Communities for Afghans Project, as set out in Annex B and the accompanying guidance.

• In two tier areas, upper tier authorities must agree a plan locally to:

• make payments to lower tier authorities wherever relevant in relation to any education services which they provide to Afghan children participating in the Communities for Afghans Project, and

• make an immediate payment to lower tier authorities in relation to any upfront costs

• The Communities for Afghans project tariff is not ringfenced to a specific financial year.

For each of the tariffs:

• A recipient authority must ensure records of post arrival welfare checks are kept up to date, and accurate quarterly DELTA returns are submitted signed off by the council’s Section 151 Officer, as set out in guidance.

• Where the amount of grant paid to an authority exceeds the authority’s actual pressures (based on the number of households partaking in the Communities for Afghans project resident in their area), the difference shall be repaid to the Secretary of State. In addition, if the department is made aware that an authority is in breach of the grant conditions above, it reserves the right to recover funding.

8. Data monitoring

Councils will be required to submit quarterly DELTA returns which capture the number of individuals, families and sponsor payments made. Councils are not required to provide any data returns on outcomes or impact of resettlement support. However, councils are welcome to maintain regular contact between themselves, the Sponsor Group and the family, to assure themselves that progress is being made.

MHCLG will continue to keep the approach to data monitoring under review and will update guidance on data returns accordingly.