What does a refugee family look like?
Refugee families are vulnerable people fleeing conflict. The Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme (VPRS) resettles those who are affected by the Syrian crisis, which means most families resettled in the UK under the VPRS or the Vulnerable Childrens Resettlement Scheme (VPCS) are Syrian, although some may be from other nationalities such as Iraqi or Sudanese. They will primarily be Arabic speakers and are referred by the UNHCR (United Nations High Commission for Refugees) from the region surrounding Syria. These families primarily have Arabic as their main language. Sponsors are not able to identify or select a specific individual, family or nationality to sponsor, but it is possible to indicate the type of language support that can be provided on the application form.
The resettled family will be granted refugee status and five years ‘leave to remain’ in the UK. During this time, they will have the right to work and access to public funds including being able to claim mainstream benefits. After five years the resettled family will have the option to apply for indefinite leave to remain in the UK.