There has been an increase in the number of Afghan refugees in Blackburn with Darwen, figures show.

New figures from the Home Office show more than 20,000 Afghans fleeing the conflict have settled in the UK through the two schemes, at the end of June.

Of them, 46 lived in Blackburn with Darwen – an increase from the 37 living in the area in March.

Cllr Damian Talbot, executive member for public health, prevention and wellbeing, said: “Blackburn with Darwen has been a supporter of asylum and refugee communities for many years and is a pro-active member of regional strategic partnerships.

"We have a collaborative approach to the support of asylum seekers and refugee’s locally and sub-regionally and are guided by our shared vision and values.

READ MORE: Dozens of Afghan refugees living in Blackburn with Darwen

“We have successfully assisted in the ARAP and Homes4Ukraine Resentment schemes and continue to build on these achievements to assist where we can, with central government’s esettlement objectives.”

The figures come as a humanitarian organisation has warns the government is failing vulnerable Afghan refugees.

In response to the Taliban retaking control of the country, the government launched two schemes to relocate Afghan citizens in 2021 and 2022.

These schemes have a particular focus on helping those who worked with the UK during the war in Afghanistan, and vulnerable groups.

Campaigners and charities have criticised both schemes – branding them too slow to process applications.

The International Rescue Committee UK said the numbers “reveal the shocking reality of the government’s failure to provide protection for vulnerable Afghans”.

For comparison, the Homes for Ukraine scheme – which offers temporary accommodation to Ukrainians escaping the Russian invasion – has seen more than 120,000 arrivals across the UK since it launched by the end of June.

READ MORE: Darwen refugee scheme which rescued twins from Kabul wins grant

This included 78 due to stay with hosts in Blackburn with Darwen.

Laura Kyrke-Smith, executive director of the International Rescue Committee said: “In pushing forward the Illegal Migration Act, the government time and time again assured concerned Parliamentarians and the British public that there existed ‘safe routes’ for refugees from countries like Afghanistan.

“These statistics show that these routes simply aren’t matching the scale of the need. Instead, the majority of the almost 10,000 Afghans seeking safety in the UK were forced to make dangerous journeys across the Channel.”

Separate Home Office figures show at least 1,474 Afghan nationals arrived in the UK in small boats from January to June.

The International Rescue Committee called on the government to “urgently deliver on its commitments to eligible Afghans waiting to find safety in the UK.”

There were 6,575 Afghans in hotels or serviced accommodation by the end of June – half of whom were children, figures show.

They were given a deadline to leave hotels by the end of August – Cabinet Office minister Johnny Mercer admitted earlier this month that the announcement had been controversial, but said it had been made “with compassion in mind” to get people into permanent accommodation.

The Home Office said it is continuing to work to locate and help those at risk settle in the UK.

A spokesperson said: “No one should be risking their lives by crossing the Channel or taking dangerous and illegal routes to reach the UK – there are safe and legal routes to come here.

“The number of Afghans which the UK has committed to resettling under the ACRS scheme is generous, and greater than many of our international counterparts.”