The world has been shocked at the plight of the Afghan people following the disastrous and chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan. And we know many local people who keen to help.

We’ve worked together with Brighton & Hove City Council to produce this helpful information detailing the many different ways you can do your bit to help Afghan refugees.

The priority now is for accommodation.

Nationwide, there is very little available and affordable accommodation for refugees and many end up living in very poor quality housing far from essential services. There are a few options. So, in order of need:

• Are you a landlord who is willing to rent a self-contained house or flat for at least a year at housing benefit rates? We would love to hear from you and we can work with you and the Council to give refugees a chance to rebuild their lives
• Do you have a room in your house you could offer to a refugee? There are two great organisations that place carefully selected refugees in people’s homes: Rooms for Refugees and Refugees at Home
• We have a wonderful local organisation Thousand 4 £1,000 that pools a lot of small donations to pay landlords so that people have a place to live. Can you pledge a regular amount to them?
• Can you get together with your local community and sponsor a refugee family? This is a big commitment but extremely rewarding. You will be well supported by Reset and the Home Office to give a refugee family the opportunity to move here

Many people have been approaching us and the Council with offers of clothing and other items from their homes. These donations are well intentioned but receiving, sorting, storing and distributing them takes up a huge amount of resource. Have a look and see if Care4Calais Brighton are collecting what you are offering and, if not, donate them to a local charity shop. They raise important funds and many refugees and asylum seekers regularly use them.

Local organisations will be very specific about what they want. Voices in Exile is always after food donations for its food bank and will ask if there is something else that they need.

Is there something we have missed? Let us know.