Kingston upon Thames will provide homes for 11 families who fled Afghanistan, the Council have confirmed.

Refugees who were employed by the UK are to be resettled here in private homes for free.

This is part of a government-funded scheme supporting new arrivals from the country, which was taken over by the Taliban last August.

New arrivals in Kingston will be given a caseworker and English lessons to help with integration.

Families will also receive support from local charities such as Refugee Action Kingston.

The news follows a pledge by Kingston Council to help house Afghan refugees following the Taliban takeover.

The Council will also be housing Afghan Citizens including vulnerable women and children.

They are appealing for help providing housing and asking landlords to partner with them to offer families self-contained flats or houses. Anyone who can help should contact [email protected].

The news comes as 7,000 Afghan refugees in the UK are still waiting to be resettled, according to the Local Democracy Reporting service.

Thousands are still stuck in hotels despite the official quarantine period being over, Sky News reported yesterday.

Many refugees are in hotels in London including 800 in the borough of Kensington and Chelsea alone.

But none are in Kingston hotels, Local Democracy Reporter James Mayer confirmed.

Council Leader Caroline Kerr said: "Kingston is proud of its history of welcoming those in need of sanctuary.

"We place great value on being an inclusive borough and I am sure that our community will come together to help us provide a safe haven to our newest residents."

She added: "I look forward to welcoming these families and I am sure that their presence will enrich our diverse borough."

Click here for the latest Kingston news - or follow us on social @KingstonNubNews