Britain on Tuesday welcomed the first of the 20,000 Syrian refugees that it has pledged to relocate from camps in countries neighbouring the war-torn nation, according to the government.

"Today a number of people have arrived in the UK as part of the Vulnerable Persons Resettlement scheme," said a Home Office statement.

"As the Prime Minister announced earlier this month, we will resettle 20,000 Syrians over the course of this Parliament through this scheme."