London, March 27 (RHC-NNN) - The first batch of Syrian refugees arrived in Britain Tuesday, as part of a government scheme aimed at supporting several hundred "most vulnerable refugees" over the next three years, the British Home Office has confirmed.

The refugees will be granted five years' humanitarian protection, under Britain's Vulnerable Persons Relocation (VPR) scheme, with the rights and benefits that go with that status, including access to public funds and the labour market and the possibility of family reunion, the Home Office said.

"With today's arrival of the first Syrian refugee families, under the Vulnerable Persons Relocation scheme, the UK has joined international efforts, to provide solutions for Syrian refugees, in the form of resettlement or relocation to safe third countries," said Roland Schilling, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees representative to Britain.

A number of local authorities in Britain have already signed up to support the relocation scheme, with further discussions ongoing with other authorities, the office said.

The Home Office added that Britain has received around 3,800 Syrian asylum seekers, since the beginning of the conflict in Syria, but did not provide concrete numbers of the admitted refugees.

The next group of Syrian refugees are expected to arrive in Britain in April, the office said.