Support for Afghan refugees

Organisations to support

If you want to help Afghan refugees arriving in the UK, please make a donation to one of the international refugee organisations or Afghan associations in London. Some of these organisations are listed below:

British Red Cross

The UN Refugee Agency

Afghan Association Paiwand

Afghan Aid

Refugees at Home

International Rescue Committee

A donation is the most valuable help anyone can give. With your donations, these charities can buy food, medicine, clothes and equipment to support refugees.

Donating items

Due to the generosity of local residents, the council has been overwhelmed by donations for Afghan refugee families and individuals arriving in Westminster.

At this time, we do not require any further general donations but if you do have items you would like to donate, we encourage you to take them to your local charity shop.

We will keep you updated on any specific needs.

Housing for refugees

The government has put in place an Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy, which is resettling Locally Employed Staff (LES) who worked for the UK Armed Forces and Government in Afghanistan. The scheme requires local authorities to source privately rented accommodation, supported by a Home Office grant and administered by councils.

Like other councils across London, Westminster supports the aims of the relocations and assistance policy. If you are a landlord with a property in Westminster that could be suitable for re-housing an Afghan LES and their family, please contact our Housing Solutions Service at [email protected], marking the subject line ‘Afghan Resettlement Scheme’.

Mental health support for refugees

We know that events in Afghanistan have caused great concern for Afghans living and working in Westminster. Many families are worried about friends and relatives left behind and what feels like an uncertain future for them and their family in the UK. They are naturally concerned about where their new home will be and how to get the right help from services and organisations they are not familiar with.

We have produced the resource below for Afghan refugees, and volunteers and professionals supporting Afghan refugees to help find local NHS and voluntary services that support health and wellbeing. This resource is available in English, Dari and Pashto.

Thrive LDN, the citywide movement to improve the mental health and wellbeing of all Londoners, has also created a library of material to support communities. Visit the Thrive LDN website for more information.