Syrian refugees will make Rotherham their home

They will arrive over three years from October after health and security screening by the United Nations.

Churches and the voluntary sector are working on practical support like English language clubs as part of a “welcome pack”.

All major towns across Yorkshire and the Humber have signed up to the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Refugee Resettlement Scheme.

Rotherham Borough Council will receive a £8,520 Home Office grant per refugee — plus up to £4,500 extra for children — towards the cost. The authority can ask for more if necessary.

Zafar Saleem, the council’s neighbourhood partnerships and engagement manager, said: “Where refugees have professional or highly-skilled backgrounds, the aim is to offer conversion courses to enable them to practice or trade in the UK. 

“Otherwise skills and language training will be arranged to enable entry to the labour market within the first year, except where medical conditions prevent this.”

The UN High Commission screening process takes 42 days, during which time the refugees are allocated National Insurance numbers.

Rotherham’s cohort will be ten people a year to 2019, arriving in family units.

Those settled under the Syrian VPR scheme will be housed in private rented properties so avoid adding to Rotherham’s council house waiting list.

Last September, the Government announced an expansion to the existing voluntary scheme to resettle 20,000 refugees in the UK over a five year period. 

It gives humanitarian protection to those arriving from war-torn western Asia, allowing them to remain for at least five years and claim benefits. It also facilitates their return should they wish.

Faith groups and volunteers met at Rotherham’s Elim Christian Centre earlier this year to discuss preparations for the arrival of families from Syria.

They also pledged to help asylum seekers already here under a new umbrella organisation.