There is a risk that many Ukrainian families who have sought refuge in the UK could end up homeless because of a lack of sponsors, local authority leaders warn.
A new survey of nearly 18,000 hosts from the Homes for Ukraine has revealed that only 19% intended to provide accommodation for the initially agreed period of six months.
Published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the survey also found that just under one-quarter (23%) intended to provide accommodation for longer than 12 months.
Of those who planned to provide accommodation for between six and 12 months, seve in 10 (70%) said continued £350 monthly payments would encourage them to host for longer.
Responding to the survey, the Local Government Association (LGA) warned of the risks of Ukrainian families presenting as homeless.
LGA chairman Cllr James Jamieson urged the Government to increase the ‘thank you’ payments offered to sponsors and to come up with a ‘Plan B’ for those whose sponsorship ends before a self-rematch has been secured.
‘We’ve had over 100,000 Ukrainian refugees come to the UK thanks to the generous support of UK residents,’ he said.
‘Councils, sponsors and Ukrainian guests all need to know what the options are at the end of the six-month initial placement period so they can start planning now.
‘We hope a number of Homes for Ukraine sponsors continue to house Ukrainian refugees with them and we are talking to government about how we might encourage that. For instance, increasing the “thank you” payment to a higher amount so the sponsors can be sure it’s not costing them.
‘There is a significant risk that – even if rematching is available – many Ukrainian families may need to present as homeless because of a lack of sponsors or other options.’
Refugees Minister Richard Harrington said: ‘These latest ONS stats show the vast majority of sponsors say they want to provide support for longer than six months which is testament to the goodwill the British public has shown the people of Ukraine since tanks first rolled across the border. They will of course continue to receive monthly “thank you” payments for up to 12 months to help with the associated costs of opening up their home.
‘We initially asked sponsors to host for a minimum of six months and we are working closely with councils to ensure Ukrainians have a safe place to live if they decide to move on. We are contacting sponsors directly to outline next steps and the support available to them and the Ukrainians they are sponsoring.’
