Of course, we can only welcome Afghan refugees to our city if there is accommodation for them.

There is very little available and affordable accommodation across the country. There is even less in Brighton & Hove. Very few refugees have any savings so they are reliant on the Home Office to house them. Most end up living in very poor quality housing far from essential services. Contrary to what some people think, they are not eligible for Council housing and often placed in miserable hostels or temporary accommodation.

We need to find affordable, self-contained homes for them to move into. We can’t help at all unless they have somewhere to live.

Are you a landlord or do you know one?

Do you own a self-contained property in Brighton & Hove that you can rent to a refugee family? All refugees who arrive under the Afghan Relocations and Assistance (ARAP) scheme are eligible for housing benefit so you will receive a regular rent.

It also needs to be available for at least 12 months and ideally 2 years so that people have an opportunity to find their feet after so much upheaval. Refugees are resourceful people who want to be self-sufficient so if we give them the breathing space to start again, they will soon be thriving.

And you will be giving people who have lost everything the opportunity to rebuild their lives.

You can contact Paul Hutchings, one of the Sanctuary committee members and he will try to answer any questions or concerns you have. Or you can contact the the Council directly to offer your property.