Reform-led Lancashire County Council to withdraw from refugee resettlement scheme

A leading member of Reform UK-led Lancashire County Council has announced his plans to withdraw the local authority from the government’s refugee resettlement scheme.

The council’s Cabinet Member for Rural Affairs, Environment and Communities, Joshua Roberts, says the public funds invested in the scheme should instead be redirected to better support Lancashire’s vulnerable residents and veterans.

This scheme was accepted and introduced by the previous Conservative administration in 2015 and according to the House of Commons Library, spending on in-donor refugee costs rose from £410 million in 2016 to £4,273 million in 2023 (rising from 3% of the aid budget to 28%).

It has subsequently fallen to £2,827 million in 2024, but remains at 20% of aid spending.

In September 2015, the Conservative government, led by Prime Minister David Cameron, announced a significant expansion of the Syrian Vulnerable Person Resettlement Scheme (VPRS), pledging to resettle up to 20,000 Syrian refugees by 2020.

The government stated this move was a response to the worsening humanitarian crisis in Syria as a vicious civil war escalated, focusing on bringing refugees directly from camps in the region rather than those already in Europe.

The then Prime Minister David Cameron said at that time: “I made a promise that we would resettle a 1,000 Syrians by Christmas and I can confirm today that we have met our commitment. The government has provided funding so that all these refugees get housing, healthcare, education and I want to thank all the local authorities and all those who have worked so hard. I said that Britain would do its duty and with these 1,000 we’ve made a very good start.”

Political crises in Afghanistan and Ukraine meant further refugees needed to be accommodated in the following years.

But Cllr Roberts says that, at a time when many Lancashire residents are struggling to access housing, this scheme is taking homes, which could have been used to house residents – including veterans facing homelessness – off the market for up to around three months in advance, only to sit empty at the taxpayer’s expense.

He says it is estimated that this affects hundreds of properties across Lancashire and that, under this scheme, council resources are also used to provide extensive support, cash on arrival, culturally-themed welcome baskets, utility bill cover, and assistance registering with GPs.

The councillor adds that, while the council helps arrange Jobcentre appointments to access benefits, local residents are left to navigate these same systems on their own.

Cllr Roberts’ proposals would mean that LCC would no longer resettle refugees that have arrived in the UK under the UK Resettlement Scheme (UKRS) and the Afghan Resettlement Programme (ARP), which has resettled almost 38,000 Afghans across the UK at a cost of £3 billion. He says over 4,000 Afghans found to have been resettled under a secret route protected by a super-injunction.

Lancashire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Rural Affairs, Environment and Communities Joshua Roberts said: “This proposal is about fairness. Reform UK was elected last May to make sure that the people who live, work and contribute to Lancashire are put at the front of the queue and are not disadvantaged.

“We are calling on the Labour Government to stop placing refugees in Lancashire and instead redirect public funds to better support our vulnerable residents and veterans. These people have been deprioritised by successive Labour and Conservative governments for far too long.”

The current resettlement scheme places significant pressure on housing, public services, and officer resources, creating a clear imbalance between support offered to new arrivals and that available to existing residents.

As it stands, LCC is expected to source housing in the private rented sector for refugees, as well as provide integration casework and interpretation for up to three years.