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The London Mayor has today confirmed plans to help councils and housing associations support the arrival of refugees from Afghanistan. Mr Khan said he will expand his new Right to Buy-back fund to help councils purchase homes which could be used to resettle families fleeing the Taliban.
London councils can submit bids via the scheme which allows authorities to buy former council homes back from the private sector.
In a letter, Mr Khan described the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan as “devastating” and says London has a “proud history of providing sanctuary”.
The Government announced it will resettle 5,000 of the most vulnerable Afghan refugees this year and 20,000 in the long-term.
The move by the London Mayor has sparked a backlash from some users on Twitter.
Many argued he should be prioritising homes for Londoners already waiting to get on the property ladder, while one user urged Mr Khan to offer up his own home for refugees.
One user tweeted: “@SadiqKhan should start with his own home.”
A second added: “Sadiq Khan to buy back council homes to get Afghan refugees into London… what about UK citizens on waiting lists!”
A third commented: “Looks like preferential treatment to me those houses should go to British people on the list! Why didn’t he do this for them?”
A fourth added: “Pity you can’t house the large number of homeless already on the streets of London but can find homes for Afghans.”
Some people in London currently face a wait of more than 10 years to get a council house in the capital, according to estimates uncovered by a Freedom of Information request
The borough of Lambeth in south London currently has more than 36,000 people on its register.
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“I urge Ministers to now step forward and give boroughs the financial support they need to resettle Afghan families and help them to establish a long-term future in our open and welcoming city.”
Mr Khan also stressed the importance of an integration programme for Afghan arrivals to the UK, including education and jobs.
He added: “It is essential that refugees can establish a long-term future in the UK, be supported to learn English and skills that enable them to find employment.”
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