ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF
Updated:

The UK is going to restart a resettlement program that will prioritize Palestinian refugees and Afghan women, the Guardian reported on Sunday.

According to the report, British Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood will announce the reopening of the UK resettlement scheme at the Labour Party conference tomorrow. The scheme has been effectively suspended for the last two years, although it was never formally closed.

Around 1/4 of the refugees in the resettlement program will consist of Palestinians and Afghans. The program will also make it easier for the refugees to receive permanent settlement rights in the UK.

MP Shabana Mahmood who has been appointed to the role of Home Secretary leaves 10 Downing Street, during a reshuffle by the British government following the resignation of Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner in London, Britain, September 5, 2025.
MP Shabana Mahmood who has been appointed to the role of Home Secretary leaves 10 Downing Street, during a reshuffle by the British government following the resignation of Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner in London, Britain, September 5, 2025. (credit: REUTERS/Jack Taylor)

Critics say number of eligible refugees too small

Mahmood is expected to say that the changes will show that the immigration system operates fairly and supports the most vulnerable refugees.

However, immigration experts and refugee charities have said the number of eligible refugees is too small to deter asylum seekers from crossing the Channel in small boats, according to the report.