New information from the Ministry of Defence reveals that solely a small fraction of Afghan candidates to the UK’s relocation scheme have been granted eligibility to date this yr.
In response to a parliamentary query by Labour MP Mary Glindon, Defence Minister Luke Pollard revealed that “from 1 January to 30 June 2025, the MOD acquired 17,625 principal purposes” to the Afghan Relocations and Help Coverage (ARAP) scheme. Of those, the division made choices on 3,579 first-time purposes, discovering simply 73 eligible, an acceptance fee of simply 2.04%.
In contrast, in 2024, the ministry acquired “27,491 purposes” and decided eligibility on “7,046 principal first time purposes”, with 375 accepted — an eligibility fee of 5.3%. These figures embrace “first time, duplicate and extra principal purposes”.
The variety of profitable appeals stays even smaller. In 2024, the MOD “reviewed and confirmed the ineligible consequence of 1,070 principal purposes the place the applicant had requested a overview”, however solely “seven had been overturned”. Within the first half of 2025, of “91 principal purposes” reviewed, solely “six had been overturned”.
The ARAP scheme was launched to help Afghan nationals who labored with British forces through the UK’s two-decade involvement in Afghanistan. Regardless of ministerial assurances that eligible candidates could be relocated, many have been left ready in harmful or precarious conditions. The figures counsel a major tightening of eligibility assessments, with fewer purposes accepted and a good decrease fee of profitable evaluations.
Right here’s the reply from Pollard in full.
“In 2024, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) acquired 27,491 purposes to the Afghan Relocations and Help Coverage (ARAP) scheme. Moreover the Division reviewed and confirmed the ineligible consequence of 1,070 principal purposes the place the applicant had requested a overview. Of these purposes reviewed, seven had been overturned. These figures embrace first time, duplicate and extra principal purposes. The MOD additionally made choices on 7,046 principal first time purposes, with 375 (5.3%) being discovered eligible.
From 1 January to 30 June 2025, the MOD acquired 17,625 principal purposes. The Division reviewed the ineligible consequence of 91 principal purposes the place the applicant had requested a overview. Of these purposes reviewed, six had been overturned. These figures embrace first time, duplicate and extra principal software. The MOD additionally made choices on 3,579 principal first time purposes, with 73 being discovered eligible.”