In Great Britain, as part of a government program, private individuals have committed themselves to taking in refugees from Ukraine for six months. Now a quarter of the hosts are backing down. Thousands of Ukrainians therefore fear for their place to sleep.
Thousands of Ukrainian refugees in the UK are at risk of losing their accommodation in private households. As the national statistical office has determined, around one in four hosts is no longer willing or able to continue the accommodation that has been promised for six months. Refugee Secretary of State Richard Harrington has therefore called for government aid payments to be doubled from the current 350 pounds (415 euros) a month.
Harrington pointed to the skyrocketing costs of electricity and gas. The government grants are a very important contribution to household spending, the conservative politician told the Telegraph newspaper. The British government launched the Homes for Ukraine program after the Russian attack on Ukraine. Private individuals undertake to take Ukrainian refugees into their homes for at least six months. The program ends on September 18th.
There are currently 81,700 Ukrainians living in around 25,000 households, the Times newspaper reported. If a quarter of the hosts now withdraw, around 19,000 Ukrainians would be affected. The UK is the only European country that requires visas for Ukrainian refugees.
“Every single person who gets involved in sponsorship saves the state the cost of renting housing, so I think there’s a moral and humanitarian reason as well as a financial reason,” Harrington said. He also demanded more money for English courses for Ukrainians. Landlords should also refrain from providing credit reports to refugees, the politician asked. However, the Times reported that the Treasury Department was skeptical about increasing subsidies.