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Dec 2021

Last Updated: 08/12/2021

Community

Refugee support group in urgent search for a Nidderdale home

by Tim Flanagan

| 08 Dec, 2021

Nidderdale Community Welcome is seeking a house to rent in or close to Pateley Bridge as part of an initiative established by former Prime Minister David Cameron to resettle 20,000 Syrian refugees in the UK.

Nidderdale Community Welcome is urgently seeking a house to rent in or close to Pateley Bridge to home a refugee family.

The community group has already raised more than £12,000 to help a refugee family from Syria or Afghanistan, to start a new life in the UK.

Peter Wright, NCW's housing lead, told the Stray Ferret:

"We need a two, three or four-bedroom property with a garden, on a bus route in Nidderdale, ideally near Pateley Bridge.

"The property needs to be available to the family for a minimum of two years, but the arrangement could easily extend for much longer.

"This offers certainty for landlords and avoids the cost and disruption of changing tenants regularly."

Nidderdale Community Welcome is taking part in a scheme originally set-up by former Prime Minister David Cameron to welcome 20,000 Syrian refugees to the UK.

Following the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan in the summer, an increased number of refugees from that country have also been offered the opportunity to come to the UK.

The Home Office and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees will choose a family based on the number of bedrooms in the house that is secured for rental by NCW.

As part of their resettlement package, the family is entitled to housing benefit and can pay monthly rental ranging from £663 for a two-bedroom house to £1,067 for a four-bedroom property.

Mr Wright said:

"We can provide the bond and one month’s rent in advance, if required. If we find the right home before the family arrives and is able to move in, we could potentially provide a short period of 100% rental bridging to hold the property for them.

"Our charity will provide long-term support for the family and will act as the first point of contact between them and the landlord, to ensure that all communications are well-managed."

Landlords able to help NCW in its search for a rental property, are asked to contact Mr Wright, via email on wrightpandh@gmail.com

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Refugee support group in urgent search for a Nidderdale home

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