The Afghan nationals UK relocation programme will cost more than £2bn, according to the National Audit Office (NAO). This figure covers several schemes, including the Afghanistan Response Route (ARR), created in 2024 after a government data breach exposed applicant details.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) put ARR costs at £850m. However, auditors say the ministry cannot prove this estimate with evidence. Parliamentarians have raised concerns about the lack of financial clarity.
Spending on Afghan resettlement schemes
The Afghan nationals UK relocation effort has already consumed £563m between 2021 and 2025. Spending supported Afghans who worked with British forces during the war and those put at risk after the 2022 leak.
The MoD expects to spend another £1.5bn by March 2029. Of that, it claims £400m has already gone to resettle Afghans linked to the breach. The NAO doubts this figure, saying the ministry has not shown proof.
Data breach drives new relocation costs
The Afghan nationals UK relocation bill rose sharply after a serious MoD mistake. In 2022, an official emailed sensitive details of more than 18,000 Afghan applicants outside secure systems. He believed the file held just 150 rows. In reality, it contained about 33,000 records.
The MoD only realised the error 18 months later, when a Facebook user posted details. UK officials then warned about 1,800 Afghans in Pakistan that their data might have leaked.
In April 2024, the government secretly launched the ARR scheme to protect those at greatest risk. Ministers kept no separate record of ARR participants, citing the need for secrecy while a High Court super-injunction blocked disclosure.
MPs question relocation figures
By July 2025, the ARR scheme closed to new applicants. The NAO criticised the MoD for poor record-keeping and vague financial reporting. It warned that true costs could be higher once legal fees and compensation claims emerge.
Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, chair of the Public Accounts Committee, welcomed the NAO’s work. He said confusion remains about the £850m estimate and promised a full committee inquiry.
The impact of Afghan nationals UK relocation
The Afghan nationals UK relocation programme shows the UK’s duty to allies but also exposes major accountability problems. The schemes have saved lives, yet secrecy and weak oversight created financial risks.
Supporters of the ARR scheme argue secrecy protected Afghans from Taliban reprisals. Critics counter that hiding costs undermined public trust.
