Homes For Ukraine Scheme|Host Ukrainian Refugees UK

homes for ukraine|homes for ukraine scheme uk|ukrainian refugees in uk|host ukrainian refugees uk:As an organisation with seven decades of experience working directly with refugees to help them rebuild their lives after the trauma of war, we are concerned that people from Ukraine are still not being recognised as refugees and being asked to apply for visas when they just need to be guaranteed protection.  This programme falls short of enabling any Ukrainian, particularly the most vulnerable such as children who are alone, to seek safety in the UK and access the full support they urgently need.

“By establishing a visa route and naming scheme, it will inevitably be restricted to those who are known to people in the UK and be a quite complex lengthy visa application process. A humanitarian crisis requires a speedy and compassionate response not one that puts bureaucratic hurdles ahead of the immediate needs of people whose lives have been ripped apart.

homes for ukraine scheme uk

“We are also worried about ensuring the safety and wellbeing for Ukrainians who have fled bloodshed, and the level of support available for their sponsors. We are talking about very traumatised women and children whose experiences are unique, and the level of support needs to match that.  It’s like asking people to be foster carers without any robust checks, training or having a social worker in place to support them.

“Those coming here who have already had their lives turned upside down, will also not have full rights to benefits, so there is a real risk they could end up homeless if they have to leave the sponsors or extended family home which would be completely devastating. It’s vital they can quickly access GPs, mental health services and schools to ensure they have the support they will so desperately need to rebuild their lives in the UK.

Host Ukrainian Refugees UK

Britons opening their homes to Ukrainian refugees fleeing the Russian invasion will receive a “thank you” payment of £350 per month, the government has announced.The Homes for Ukraine scheme, to be rolled out this week, will allow individuals, charities, community groups and businesses to bring people fleeing the war to safety – even if they have no ties to the UK.

Sponsors can nominate a named Ukrainian individual or family to stay with them in their home, or offer a separate property for them to use rent-free.It comes as the government has faced criticism over the speed and scale of its efforts to bring fleeing Ukrainians to the UK.People sponsoring refugees through the new uncapped route will be required to commit to the scheme for a minimum of six months but are encouraged to keep up the offer for as long as they can.

The “Homes for Ukraine” program will have a website where individuals and organizations can sign up by the end of next week, the government said, per Reuters. Those who offer a room or home for refugees will have to pass a criminal background check and show that the space meets certain standards.

ukraine family scheme

Homes For Ukraine Scheme

Britons offering accommodation to Ukrainian refugees through the new route will receive a “thank you” payment of £350 per month. It is hoped that tens of thousands of people will be accommodated under the scheme, helping to tackle Europe’s biggest refugee crisis since the Second World War.

Under the Homes for Ukraine scheme, people will be able to nominate a named Ukrainian individual or family to stay with them, or offer a separate property for them to use rent-free.

Those offering accommodation will be vetted, and will need to commit to a minimum of six months.

But the Refugee Council – a charity that supports refugees and asylum seekers – says the scheme falls short and doesn’t offer people enough support.

And the Labour opposition accused the government of dragging its feet, saying many questions remain unanswered – particularly around vulnerable children and older people.

More than 2.5 million people are said to have fled the war in Ukraine and another 1.9 million are displaced within the country, a UN official has said.

It comes as it has been disclosed that Russian oligarchs’ multi-million pound mansions could be seized and used to house Ukrainian refugees under plans being championed by Michael Gove. The Levelling Up Secretary has reportedly argued in Cabinet that the move would be “payback” for Russian president Vladimir Putin’s allies in Britain.

The government’s Homes for Ukraine scheme calls on people to offer a spare room or an empty property to a refugee for a period of at least six months.

But the Refugee Council said it was worried about the level of support for people traumatised by the war.

Labour said there many unanswered questions, and accused the government of “dragging its feet” over the crisis.

More than 2.5 million people have fled Ukraine because of Russia’s invasion, in what the UN has called the fastest-growing refugee crisis since World War Two.

At the moment, only those with family connections are able to make an application via the Ukraine Family Scheme. Other visas are available but application centres in Ukraine are closed.