Housing

'Significant concerns' over Ukraine refugees becoming homeless in UK

There are fears local authorities may struggle to deal with Ukrainian refugees who present as homeless without extra government funding, MPs have warned.

Ukraine

Some Ukrainians who have come to the UK as refugees are presenting to councils as homeless. Image: Karolynne Hubert / Unsplash

There are “significant concerns” that stretched local authority services will not be able to cope with an influx of refugees from Ukraine presenting to councils as homeless, MPs have warned.

Clive Betts, chair of the Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Committee, made the admission in a letter to refugees minister Lord Harrington, following reports that people from Ukraine who have arrived in the UK are now ending up without a home.

Betts also said that refugees should be able to switch between support schemes after arriving in the UK if there are residents nearby willing to accommodate them rather than calling on councils for support.

“Stories of Ukrainian families arriving in the UK, living in single rooms and being forced to declare themselves homeless after fleeing war are adding to concerns that Ukrainian refugees are not getting the support they need,” said Betts.

“Local authorities will see increasing demands for their services and yet are being told by government there is no funding to cover this under the Ukraine Family Scheme. The government needs to step up and put this right.”

Ukrainians fleeing the conflict in their home country have been able to come to the UK under the Ukraine Family Scheme if they have a family member settled in the UK or if they have a sponsor through the Homes for Ukraine Scheme.

The latter, which has seen refugees connect with willing sponsors over social media, has faced criticism in recent days for leaving people open to abuse despite the promise of background checks.

There have also been reports that refugees who were accepted through the scheme have since presented as homeless to councils after relations broke down with hosts or if their family in the UK are unable to house them.

Article continues below

Current vacancies...

Search jobs

A survey published by the Local Government Association on April 1 found 144 households of Ukraine new arrivals had asked English councils for support with homelessness in the five weeks after Russia’s invasion of the country began on February 24.

The figure included 44 approaches from households under the Ukraine Family Scheme and 36 approaches under the Homes for Ukraine Scheme.

This week the first Ukrainian family reported as homeless in East Lothian, according to local reports. Gayle Findlay, the policy manager of Scottish local government representatives Cosla, told MSPs last month the only route for people whose placements break down is to “present as homeless within their local authority area that they may be in”.

Prime minister Boris Johnson told the Liaison Committee that he would examine the case for extra funding to help local authorities support Ukrainian refugees facing homelessness on March 30.

“There are local authorities with an existing Ukrainian community which will in all likelihood receive a large number of refugees through the Ukraine Family Scheme,” said Betts. “The local authorities will see increased demand for their services, but are being told there is no funding available to cover this.

“Calls from my committee and from local government for funding for local authorities for the family scheme have thus far been ignored.”

A government spokesperson said: “These schemes are designed to ensure that people who are coming to the UK fleeing the Russian invasion of Ukraine are provided with accommodation by their family or sponsor.”

Support the Big Issue

For over 30 years, the Big Issue has been committed to ending poverty in the UK. In 2024, our work is needed more than ever. Find out how you can support the Big Issue today.
Vendor martin Hawes

Recommended for you

View all
Local housing allowance is finally going up. But is it anything more than just a short-term fix?
Jeremy Hunt announced local housing allowance rise
Benefits

Local housing allowance is finally going up. But is it anything more than just a short-term fix?

Leaked letter to Tory MPs reveals renting reforms will be 'watered down' to 'appease landlords'
Renters Reform Bill
RENTING

Leaked letter to Tory MPs reveals renting reforms will be 'watered down' to 'appease landlords'

Housing crisis: Shared ownership an 'unbearable reality' which has 'failed to deliver', MPs warn
Housing

Housing crisis: Shared ownership an 'unbearable reality' which has 'failed to deliver', MPs warn

Most tenants have never heard of the beleaguered Renters Reform Bill
Renters and the Renters Reform Bill
Renting

Most tenants have never heard of the beleaguered Renters Reform Bill

Most Popular

Read All
Renters pay their landlords' buy-to-let mortgages, so they should get a share of the profits
Renters: A mortgage lender's window advertising buy-to-let products
1.

Renters pay their landlords' buy-to-let mortgages, so they should get a share of the profits

Exclusive: Disabled people are 'set up to fail' by the DWP in target-driven disability benefits system, whistleblowers reveal
Pound coins on a piece of paper with disability living allowancve
2.

Exclusive: Disabled people are 'set up to fail' by the DWP in target-driven disability benefits system, whistleblowers reveal

Here's when UK households to start receiving last cost of living payments
next dwp cost of living payment 2023
3.

Here's when UK households to start receiving last cost of living payments

Strike dates 2023: From train drivers to NHS doctors, here are the dates to know
4.

Strike dates 2023: From train drivers to NHS doctors, here are the dates to know