Older Syrian refugees could be housed in care homes

The Abbeyfield Society, which runs care homes and sheltered housing for older people, has been so moved by the plight of older refugees fleeing war-torn Syria, it is offering to house as many as it can.

The Government has said it will take 20,000 Syrians by 2020 and ten per cent of these are expected to be older people, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

The refugee crisis, particularly in countries such as Syria, Afghanistan, Somalia and Sudan, has escalated over the last few months with eight thousand refugees arriving in Europe daily.

The United Nations predicts there could be 4.27m Syrian refugees by the end of 2015 — the worst exodus since the Rwandan genocide 20 years ago.

The Abbeyfield Society has written to the Prime Minister and Communities Secretary Greg Clark pledging to support the Government’s promise to bring some of the older refugees to the UK by offering accommodation in its 500 sheltered housing and care homes.

Ten per cent of Syrian refugees aged over 65

“We can only imagine what older Syrians have been through which is why we are reaching out to offer them help in the form of up to six months housing wherever we are able to accommodate them”, said Natasha Singarayer, chief executive of the Abbeyfield Society.

“No one knows for sure how many older Syrians will be amongst the refugees to come to Britain but we do know that at least 10 per cent of people who have fled to refugee camps as a result of the Syrian conflict are over 65.”

She added: “The majority of our houses are sheltered accommodation where our residents share at least two meals a day and enjoy living in a supportive family like atmosphere. I am sure we can offer the sort of atmosphere and security that will really help the older refugees settle in the UK. Many of our residents feel deep empathy for these older Syrians and I am confident they will welcome them with open arms.

“We really hope that the Government will take us up on this offer to provide a haven for older refugees when they arrive in the UK. All we ask is that the Government supports us by covering the costs and we will do the rest.”

'Dehumanising' language

Earlier this year, Prime Minister David Cameron, made a speech calling the refugees a “swarm”.

Bridget Robb, chief executive of the British Association of Social Workers, recently criticised the language used by the Government as “dehumanising”.

Mr Cameron has said Britain will only take in vulnerable refugees from camps around Syria, and not those who have crossed the Mediterranean into Europe over recent months.

They will be chosen under established UN procedures and will be granted five-year humanitarian protection visas.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) will help identify Syrians to be prioritised for resettlement from refugee camps. Those chosen for resettlement will be entered into the Vulnerable Persons Relocation Scheme, which operates separately from the UN's own programme.

Birmingham, Newcastle, Kingston, Islington, Edinburgh, Cambridge, Nottinghamshire and Malvern Hills councils have all said they will accept 50 refugees each, with Glasgow and Liverpool saying they will take in 100 refugees each.

Under the scheme funded by the Home Office and the EU, refugees are given 12 months of support. This includes registering with a GP, local school, job centre, banking services, welfare benefits and English language courses.

This is funded by both the Home Office and the EU.

So far, just 216 Syrians have been admitted to the UK under the Vulnerable Persons Relocation Scheme. The latest available Government figures - which count up to June 2015 - show that 4,866 asylum applications were also accepted for people from Syria.

Since 2013 Germany has accepted 35,000 Syrians through a different UN scheme for vulnerable migrants, Canada more than 10,000, Norway 9,000, Australia 5,600 and Switzerland 3,500.

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