HUNDREDS of Afghan refugees in Edinburgh are still waiting for permanent housing, council bosses admitted today.

More than 200 families fleeing the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan who arrived in the Scottish capital have been housed in hotels due to a shortage of suitable housing in the city.

City of Edinburgh Council confirmed that “no households have been resettled permanently in Edinburgh as yet,” in its latest refugee resettlement report.

But SNP council leader Adam McVey insisted that the city is in a position to secure homes in the coming weeks.

Councillors said they will also consider increasing the number of refugee places in the city from the current 100 to 150 at a meeting at Holyrood on Tuesday.

The delay in providing permanent homes in Edinburgh has been blamed on a shortage of social housing, according to the refugee report. Council officers warned: “Availability of permanent social housing remains a city-wide challenge.

“It is also important to note that Afghan families can require properties with four bedrooms or more, a configuration which is typically in extremely short supply within social housing stock.”

In a statement today, Mr McVey said the city is now ready to rehome refugees “by the end of the month.”

He said: “The experience of those fleeing their homes is beyond harrowing, and we are committed to helping in whatever way we can.”

Home Office officials said councils will receive “a generous funding package” to support the resettlement of Afghan families who have come to Britain.

They said: “We continue to work with local authorities to source appropriate accommodation as quickly as possible, although we have had to use hotels as a temporary measure due to unprecedented demand.”