Council chiefs have slammed the Home Office for failing to move Afghan refugee families to three homes acquired for them in the Borough.

The Council has managed to find three properties for the desperate groups, who are currently sitting in cramped hotel rooms around Heathrow.

However, these homes have been sitting empty for weeks because – it is claimed - the Home Office has failed to facilitate the moves.

Richmond is among a number of councils around the country which have found suitable properties - costing taxpayers thousands of pounds - yet been frustrated that they are lying empty.

Families across the Borough have been very supportive of efforts to donate money and items, such as clothes and toys, to the refugee families. At the same time Richmond Borough Council went to great lengths to find homes for them.

Councillor Piers Allen, who is the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Services and Health, first took to Twitter a month ago to highlight the situation.

At the time, he challenged the Home Secretary, Priti Patel, to take action, writing: "So disappointed to learn that @lbrut has been paying for a house for an Afghan refugee family for the last 3 weeks, but is still waiting for the @ukhomeoffice to allocate a family.

"It's weeks since families came to the UK, what on earth can excuse the delay @pritipatel ?"

This week, the Lib-Dem councillor said the situation is now even worse, writing: "We now have three houses ready for allocated Afghan refugee families in

@lbrut, but guess how many allocations from the @ukhomeoffice? Three? Just two? Even a single one? No, absolutely NONE …"

The Labour MP and chairman of the Home Affairs Select Committee, Yvette Cooper, said: "Local organisations have been working hard to get accommodation for Afghan families who have been forced to flee the Taliban because they worked for British armed forces, but we've heard too many examples of that accommodation sitting empty simply because of delays in the Home Office system."

A Government spokesman said: "The Government has undertaken the UK's biggest and fastest emergency evacuation in recent history helping over 15,000 people to safety.

"There is now a huge effort underway to get families into permanent homes so they can settle and rebuild their lives, and to ensure those still temporarily accommodated in hotels have access to healthcare, education, any essential items they need and employment opportunities or Universal Credit.

"The ongoing role of local authorities is vital to these efforts and we are grateful for their continued offers of support and housing but the accommodation offered must meet the needs of those being resettled."

Officials said Councils which receive refugees are awarded some funding. This equates to £20,520 provided over three years to meet the costs. Local authorities will also receive additional funding for children entering education, to cover English language provision and healthcare.

UPDATE:

A spokesperson for Richmond Council confirmed: "We have put forward three properties to the Home Office and are waiting for families to be referred to us.

"We are in regular discussions with the Home Office for updates and to ensure we have the right support in place for families when they do come to us."

Richmond Council is offering private landlords payment of: 

1 bedroom = £2,000 +6 weeks rent in advance

2 bedroom = £2,500 + 6 weeks rent in advance

3 bedroom = £3000 +6 weeks rent in advance

4 bedroom = £3,500 +6 weeks rent in advance