MoD imposed 'conduct charter' on Afghans housed on UK military bases

The Ministry of Defence introduced a formal code of conduct for Afghans resettling in the UK, many of whom were being housed on military bases, it has emerged. Known as the Conduct Charter, it was introduced last summer and sets out expected standards of behaviour to help support integration into British communities.

A source familiar with the document said it was designed to show "what good citizenship looks like in the UK" and to make clear that violations of British law would carry consequences. Its existence - which was revealed by an BFBS report - comes to light amid unverified social media claims alleging antisocial behaviour by some Afghan residents on defence sites. At its peak, Operation Lazurite saw 12% of all Service Family Accommodation in use by former Afghan soldiers who fought alongside British troops and their families. When the Charter was introduced, thousands of people had already arrived under relocation and resettlement schemes launched after the fall of Kabul in 2021.

Today, around 38,000 Afghans have been brought to the UK under various initiatives - including a previously undisclosed programme revealed last week following the lifting of a superinjunction.

All Afghan nationals brought to the UK under official schemes have been granted indefinite leave to remain, the MoD said, stressing that they are not classed as asylum seekers or illegal immigrants.

Each individual undergoes full security vetting before arrival.

Initial arrival and integration have been managed by UK troops under Operation Lazurite, the military-led effort launched after the Taliban seized Kabul.

Troops typically serve six-month deployments on the operation - the same length as a standard tour - and are tasked with collecting arrivals from UK airports, escorting them to designated bases, and supporting early-stage integration.

New arrivals usually begin in transit accommodation on defence sites, where they receive support with medical, financial, and administrative matters.

This stage can last up to nine months. From there, many are moved into more stable housing - including surplus Service Family Accommodation - where they may remain for up to three years.

A phased withdrawal from military housing is already underway, with the Defence Estate no longer being used for new placements.

Today, only 2% of service accommodation contains Afghans.

The government is now moving to draw a line under its Afghan resettlement commitments.

On July 1, Defence Secretary John Healey announced that schemes such as the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) would be closed to new applicants.

While the Charter has not been publicly released, officials say it reflects the expectations of new neighbours on military sites and makes clear that breaches of UK law may amount to criminal offences.

An MOD spokesperson said: "All Afghans relocated to the UK through the Afghan Resettlement Programme have been granted indefinite leave to remain in the UK and are not illegal immigrants, asylum seekers or refugees.

"Individuals undergo thorough security checks before arriving in the UK.

"Those relocating to the UK are made aware of their rights and responsibilities, and the standards of behaviour that are expected.

"If these are breached it may result in removal from transitional accommodation and the subsequent removal of support into settled accommodation."