Refugees on the Homes for Ukraine Scheme have told City News about the uncertainty they feel around its extension, including problems finding housing and employment. Some say they’ve faced abuse and threats of homelessness from their hosts.
The Homes for Ukraine Scheme was announced on the 14th of March 2022, following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Over 100,000 British individuals and organisations registered interest in housing refugees on the first day of its launch.
The scheme works by placing Ukrainian refugees and families with members of the British public who have said will house those fleeing the war.
Numerically, the scheme has been a success. As of the 21st of May, 2024, the Home Office has received 337,900 visa applications to be sponsored by a host family and live in the United Kingdom.
258,000 people have since been granted visas to leave Ukraine and come to the UK. Many of those Ukrainian refugees have found safe, welcoming and supportive places to live.
However, some Ukrainian refugees have told City News in an exclusive documentary, ‘Living in Limbo’, of difficulties they have faced since being placed with hosts across the country.
Stan Baneš, Director of Ukrainian support charity Opora, said that there is a lack of available housing for everyone in the UK. But he added that difficulties securing guarantors is an extra barrier felt more acutely by Ukrainian refugees.
“They don’t have guarantors or even the knowledge they have to save up for a deposit”, Mr Baneš said.
Stan Baneš run the Ukrainian support charity Opora.
Mr Baneš also believes the Homes for Ukraine Scheme was “politically pushed and therefore operationally pushed where the civil service didn’t have the opportunity to fully operationalise the scheme”.
Opora is a charity focused on helping Ukrainian refugees rebuild their lives sustainably in the UK. However the application for the an extension to stay in the UK on the scheme closed on the 16th of May, 2024.
As of March 2024 the Department for Levelling Up has revealed just over 6,000 Ukrainian families on the Homes for Ukraine Scheme have asked for help with housing.
Yana Kalashnikova became homeless on the streets of London after her host relationship broke down.
“He abused [me] a little bit, [he] talked about a relationship, and I had to let him”.
Yana Kalashnikova is a full-time student that had difficulty finding a safe and secure home.
Miss Kalashnikova said that her host regularly used alcohol and abused her. She left his house but found that support on offer to her was limited.
After approaching two London borough councils they said she could only be registered as homeless if she was found on the street.
Miss Kalashnikova had to sleep in a church.
She eventually found a home to rent in London after her friend introduced her to a landlord that didn’t require a deposit.
Miss Kalashnikova said she believes the people of the UK help more than the government, and that she fears what will happen when her Scheme visa runs out.
Olena Lysenko and her daughter fled to the UK following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
In another case, Olena Lysenko came to the UK on the Homes for Ukraine Scheme with her daughter. Unlike Miss Kalashnikova, she was offered temporary accommodation.
But the housing was miles away from London, where her daughter attended school and where Olena was going to college. The two had settled in London after fleeing Ukraine but their new life was threatened by the housing offer far away.
“I was thinking to go back to Ukraine lot’s of times”, Miss Lysenko said. “I was so tired myself, I tried to hide it from my child”.
Miss Lysenko explained that she and her daughter would spend the majority of their mornings commuting into London. She did not want to remove her daughter from a school where she had just made friends.
We approached the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and the Home Office for comment but are yet to receive a reply.
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HeadlineRefugees on Homes for Ukraine Scheme say they fear for its extension
Short HeadlineRefugees on Homes for Ukraine Scheme say they fear for its extension
Standfirst Ukrainian refugees say they've struggling finding housing and work, and face abuse
Refugees on the Homes for Ukraine Scheme have told City News about the uncertainty they feel around its extension, including problems finding housing and employment. Some say they’ve faced abuse and threats of homelessness from their hosts.
The Homes for Ukraine Scheme was announced on the 14th of March 2022, following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Over 100,000 British individuals and organisations registered interest in housing refugees on the first day of its launch.
The scheme works by placing Ukrainian refugees and families with members of the British public who have said will house those fleeing the war.
Numerically, the scheme has been a success. As of the 21st of May, 2024, the Home Office has received 337,900 visa applications to be sponsored by a host family and live in the United Kingdom.
258,000 people have since been granted visas to leave Ukraine and come to the UK. Many of those Ukrainian refugees have found safe, welcoming and supportive places to live.
However, some Ukrainian refugees have told City News in an exclusive documentary, ‘Living in Limbo’, of difficulties they have faced since being placed with hosts across the country.
Stan Baneš, Director of Ukrainian support charity Opora, said that there is a lack of available housing for everyone in the UK. But he added that difficulties securing guarantors is an extra barrier felt more acutely by Ukrainian refugees.
“They don’t have guarantors or even the knowledge they have to save up for a deposit”, Mr Baneš said.
Stan Baneš run the Ukrainian support charity Opora.
Mr Baneš also believes the Homes for Ukraine Scheme was “politically pushed and therefore operationally pushed where the civil service didn’t have the opportunity to fully operationalise the scheme”.
Opora is a charity focused on helping Ukrainian refugees rebuild their lives sustainably in the UK. However the application for the an extension to stay in the UK on the scheme closed on the 16th of May, 2024.
As of March 2024 the Department for Levelling Up has revealed just over 6,000 Ukrainian families on the Homes for Ukraine Scheme have asked for help with housing.
Yana Kalashnikova became homeless on the streets of London after her host relationship broke down.
“He abused [me] a little bit, [he] talked about a relationship, and I had to let him”.
Yana Kalashnikova is a full-time student that had difficulty finding a safe and secure home.
Miss Kalashnikova said that her host regularly used alcohol and abused her. She left his house but found that support on offer to her was limited.
After approaching two London borough councils they said she could only be registered as homeless if she was found on the street.
Miss Kalashnikova had to sleep in a church.
She eventually found a home to rent in London after her friend introduced her to a landlord that didn’t require a deposit.
Miss Kalashnikova said she believes the people of the UK help more than the government, and that she fears what will happen when her Scheme visa runs out.
Olena Lysenko and her daughter fled to the UK following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
In another case, Olena Lysenko came to the UK on the Homes for Ukraine Scheme with her daughter. Unlike Miss Kalashnikova, she was offered temporary accommodation.
But the housing was miles away from London, where her daughter attended school and where Olena was going to college. The two had settled in London after fleeing Ukraine but their new life was threatened by the housing offer far away.
“I was thinking to go back to Ukraine lot’s of times”, Miss Lysenko said. “I was so tired myself, I tried to hide it from my child”.
Miss Lysenko explained that she and her daughter would spend the majority of their mornings commuting into London. She did not want to remove her daughter from a school where she had just made friends.
We approached the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and the Home Office for comment but are yet to receive a reply.
