According to the Ministry of Defence, the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy has fulfilled its initial objective of supporting Afghans who worked alongside the UK military
The government has announced the closure of both its Afghan resettlement schemes, the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) and the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS), effective from 1 July 2025. This decision has sparked widespread criticism from humanitarian organisations and the Afghan diaspora in the UK, who argue that it represents an abandonment of the UK’s commitments to the Afghan people.
The government has provided specific reasons for shutting down the schemes. According to the Ministry of Defence (MoD), the ARAP has fulfilled its initial objective of supporting Afghans who worked alongside the UK military. The MoD stated that closing the ARAP will allow resources to be redirected to other national security priorities. Similarly, the ACRS was formally closed, although it had not been truly operational for new applications.
Humanitarian and refugee support groups have been quick to condemn the decision. The International Rescue Committee (IRC) UK, for example, has argued that the closure represents a significant step back in the UK’s commitment to protecting vulnerable Afghans. The IRC has highlighted that thousands of Afghans are still at risk and in need of protection, and that the closure of these schemes will leave many without a safe pathway to the UK.
The Afghan diaspora in the UK has also expressed strong disapproval of the decision. Dr. Nooralhaq Nasimi, director of the Afghanistan and Central Asian Association in London, criticised the closure, stating that it would lead to more Afghans attempting to enter the UK illegally. He argued that the UK has a moral obligation to continue supporting those who have worked with British forces and to provide safe and legal routes for those in need.
With both schemes now closed, no new applications for resettlement under these programmes will be accepted. This has left many Afghans who had hoped to apply for resettlement in a state of uncertainty. However, the government has stated that it will continue to process the existing backlog of applications under the ARAP. There are currently around 22,000 pending decisions under this scheme.
The closure of the schemes does not mean that all applications will be ignored. The UK government has committed to processing the existing backlog of applications under the ARAP. However, with no new applications being accepted, the future for many Afghans seeking refuge in the UK remains uncertain.
The decision to close its Afghan resettlement schemes has been met with significant criticism from humanitarian organisations and the Afghan diaspora. While the government believes that it has fulfilled its initial commitments and wants to focus resources elsewhere, these groups argue that many vulnerable Afghans are still in need of protection. The closure of the schemes has left thousands of Afghans without a safe pathway to the UK, and has raised questions about the UK’s commitment to providing protection to those in need.
The closure of the Afghan resettlement schemes marks a significant shift in the UK’s approach to supporting Afghans. As the government redirects resources to other national security priorities, it remains to be seen how this decision will impact the thousands of Afghans who had hoped to find refuge in the UK. Humanitarian organisations and the Afghan diaspora will continue to advocate for the protection of vulnerable Afghans, and the debate over the UK’s responsibilities in this matter is far from over.
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Surge in Afghan migrant deportations
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From the beginning of 2025 until the end of June, more than 714,000 Afghan migrants have returned from Iran, with 70% forcibly deported, raising serious concerns among the United Nations and human rights groups.
Sadeq, a 36-year-old who lived in Iran for nearly 30 years, was among those deported despite having legal residency. “We had residency, had obtained smart cards. They gave me fifteen days and said you must leave Iran. We left Iran. We were deported and came to Afghanistan. Our house money remained there,” he said.
Abdulmalek, also deported, added, “The insult that Afghans face in Iran doesn’t happen in any other country. In Germany or other countries, if you live more than four years or if a child is born there, they become a resident and citizen. But I, who was in Iran for thirty years, have no documents to prove my work, not even a SIM card in my name.”
According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), between January 1 and June 29, 2025, more than 714,572 Afghan migrants returned from Iran. Of these, 99% were undocumented, and 70% were forcibly returned. The IOM warned of a troubling increase in families being deported, shifting the pattern from earlier months when most returnees were single young men. Over 256,000 people reportedly entered Afghanistan in June alone, TOLO News stated.
UN Women also reported that over the past 21 months, 48% of returning Afghan migrants from Pakistan were women and girls, and in the last 24 days, 30% of women and girls came back from Iran.
