County council leaders are calling on the Government to review funding for the Homes for Ukraine programme.
The call by the County Councils Network (CCN) comes on the 12-month anniversary of the scheme to resettle refugees from war-torn Ukraine.
The network says England’s counties have seen almost 48,000 Ukrainian refugees arrive in their areas as part of the programme since March last year, 56% of the country’s total, and numbers are rising.
Cllr Barry Lewis, CCN vice chairman, said: ‘Alongside the generosity of residents, local government has been the vital cog in enabling refugees to come to England, with many having to adapt their services overnight to account for the huge demand and safety checks required.
‘The twelve-month mark for the programme allows us to reflect on its challenges, too. We are sadly seeing a large rise in Ukrainian refugees presenting as homeless despite the best efforts of councils to incentivise hosts and rematch guests.
‘But we are concerned too many are falling through the cracks, which is why the County Councils Network is joining the Local Government Association’s call for urgent solutions, including access to the Government’s bespoke £150m homelessness fund as soon as possible.
‘We are also concerned that the core funding for refugees has been reduced this year.
‘This could impact on the effectiveness of councils in integrating these guests and supporting them as they rebuild their lives, with county areas arguably most affected as they have hosted more Ukrainians. We are calling on the Government to keep this funding under review.’
The District Councils Network (DCN) has also marked the one-year anniversary of the Homes for Ukraine programme by pointing out that eight out of the top 10 councils welcoming the largest number of arrivals per resident are districts.
DCN chairman Sam Chapman-Allen said: ‘It is a source of great pride to both us in the district council sector and our local residents that we have so fulsomely welcomed Ukrainians into our communities, offering them sanctuary from Putin’s brutal and illegal war.
‘Our officers are experts in working with their communities to ensure we do everything possible to ensure safety, promote the welfare of potentially vulnerable people, and ensure our communities function in a cohesive and welcoming manner.’
