More than 8,500 Syrian refugees have been resettled in the UK

More than 8,500 Syrian refugees have been resettled in the UK under the Vulnerable Persons Resettlement (VPR) scheme, new figures have revealed.
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The latest quarterly Home Office migration statistics, which were published on Thursday (24 August) show that over 1,200 refugees arrived through the scheme in the second quarter of 2017, meaning over a third of the 20,000 refugees the UK government pledged to resettle by 2020 are already in the UK. Approximately half of those who have arrived under the scheme are children.

Figures also show Syrian refugees have been housed by more than 200 local authorities across the United Kingdom. The government continues to work with councils and devolved administrations to ensure placements are available as more vulnerable people arrive.

Immigration Minister Brandon Lewis said:
“I’m delighted with the significant progress we have made with the VPR scheme. Over 8,500 people have been resettled and more are arriving every month.”

He added “We will continue to work with local authorities and the UNHCR, whose hard work so far has made sure that the scheme is a success, to provide those who have been displaced by conflict with a safe environment and the opportunity to rebuild their lives.”