UK cost of living crisis hampering efforts to host Ukrainian refugees
The majority of people taking part in a government scheme to house Ukrainians feel the rising cost of living is hampering their ability to support the refugees, new data suggests.
The figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) found about a fifth (21%) of current or previous sponsors on the Homes for Ukraine scheme reported that the rising cost of living affected their ability to provide support on the scheme “quite a lot”, while a further 9% said it affected their ability “very much”.
Just over four in 10 respondents said that it affected them “a little”, while the rest said the cost of living did not affect them or that they didn’t know.
Just under a quarter (23%) of people who said they would only be hosting a Ukrainian for six months or less said their decision not to continue with the scheme was because they could no longer afford to and because of the rising cost of living.
Just under four in ten (38%) said that they would be encouraged to be a host for longer if there were more support on offer.
The Homes for Ukraine sponsorship scheme allows Ukrainian nationals and their relatives to come to the UK if they have a sponsor who can provide accommodation for at least six months.
Under the scheme, new Ukrainian arrivals receive a one-off £200 payment and their host receives a £350 “thank you” monthly payment for sponsors for costs associated with helping out.
The scheme has been criticised as being unworkable due to its excessive bureaucracy, as well as it being a “gimmick” which gives people fleeing Ukraine “false hope”.
There have also been claims that Homes for Ukraine has become a “Tinder for sex traffickers”, as experts say that UK-based criminals are targeting women and children fleeing the war.
Richard
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