13 March 2022 06:35, UK
Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove is unveiling a Homes for Ukraine scheme in a bid to help tens of thousands of people fleeing their homeland in the wake of Vladimir Putin’s war.
Families who welcome Ukrainian refugees into their home – as the people from Clydebank who fled from the Blitz during the Second World War were – for at least six months rent-free will receive a £350-a-month “thank you” from the UK government.
After weeks of criticism of the government’s response to the refugee crisis, the Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove is finally announcing a “Homes for Ukraine” scheme.
Mr Gove is proposing that a UK sponsor – an individual, charity, community group or businesses – will be able to nominate a named Ukrainian person or family to stay in their home.
Around a million-and-a-half refugees have now crossed the border into Poland
The aim is that up to tens of thousands of Ukrainians fleeing war in their country, including those with no family ties to the UK, will be able to live in safety, rent-free.
Ministers hope that hotels, landlords, owners of B&Bs and Airbnb properties will form the bulk of the offers to the new sponsorship scheme, to speed up the process.
Those refugees who have sponsors will be able to remain in the UK for up to three years and be entitled to work, use public services and claim benefits.
But because most refugees will be women and children, people offering accommodation will be vetted and face criminal record checks.
Ukrainian applicants will also undergo security checks.
Mr Gove’s plan coincides with a new opinion poll, by Opinium, suggesting 52% think the government has not gone far enough in accepting Ukrainian refugees, yet only 9% would definitely take them in if asked.
In a plea to people to step forward with offers of help, Mr Gove is calling on landlords, businesses, community groups and other organisations to offer rooms and other accommodation to Ukrainians.
“The crisis in Ukraine has sent shock waves across the world as hundreds of thousands of innocent people have been forced to flee their homes, leaving everything they know and love behind,” he said.
“The UK stands behind Ukraine in their darkest hour and the British public understand the need to get as many people to safety as quickly as we can.
In other developments
- Putin holds 75-minute call with Macron and Scholz about how to ‘end war in Ukraine’
- Russia warns Western arms shipments to Ukraine are now ‘legitimate’ military targets
- Russia ‘shells mosque where people were sheltering’
- Footage appears to show Russian troops kidnapping Ukrainian mayor
- Roman Abramovich disqualified as director of Chelsea FC
- Macron condemns UK for failing to meet promises to help people fleeing Ukraine
The government is this week launching a website for sponsors to register their interest in the scheme and their potential offers of accommodation, whether a spare room or a separate property.
Besides families or individuals with a spare room or rooms, local communities, the voluntary sector and organisations such as charities and religious groups will be able to sponsor groups of Ukrainians.
The government says sponsors will be asked to provide a home or spare room rent-free for as long as they are able.
Despite the criticism of Home Secretary Priti Patel‘s handling of the refugee crisis, the government insists it has already taken action to support those suffering as a result of the crisis in Ukraine.
This includes a Ukraine Family Scheme, allowing extended family members to enter the UK, and from Tuesday Ukrainians with valid passports will not need to go to a Visa Application Centre.
Responding to Mr Gove’s proposals, Labour’s shadow levelling up secretary Lisa Nandy said: “We have known for weeks that generous Brits want to help Ukrainians fleeing war.
“The problem is that once again the government has failed to plan and has been dragging its feet. We still need far more urgency and too many questions remain unanswered.
“It is unclear what support will be offered to vulnerable children and older people, whether provision is made for unaccompanied children, and what help will go to local government, sponsoring organisations and housing providers.
“Given the scale of the refugee crisis in Ukraine, ministers must be sure this scheme will help enough people, and quickly.”
First Ministers Nicola Sturgeon and Mark Drakeford have said both Scotland and Wales are willing to become “super sponsors” for Ukrainian refugees.
In a letter to Mr Gove, they also renewed their calls on Westminster to waive all visa requirements for Ukrainian nationals trying to get into the UK.
The governments in Holyrood and Cardiff said super sponsorship would enable Ukrainians to get clearance to enter each country quickly and be housed temporarily while they work with local partners to provide longer term accommodation, safeguarding and access to services.
“At particular times, drastic measures should be taken. I believe something like a drop-in could be considered as well.
“In light of that direct plea from the ambassador of our war-ravaged European neighbours, does the First Minister agree that the UK Government should adopt the position of the Irish Government, which has removed all visa barriers, to allow refugees to be welcomed quickly, safely and securely without delay?
The First Minister, left, replied: “Yes, I strongly support that position. It is the position that the Republic of Ireland and countries across the European Union have adopted.
“Yesterday, I spoke to a Ukrainian who lives in Scotland—a man who lives in Glasgow. His will be one of many stories. He spoke to me about the efforts to get his family members—his sister, in particular—to this country. She had managed to get to Poland after an arduous journey and the wall of bureaucracy that met her when she then tried to get to the UK was mind-boggling and inhumane in the circumstances.
“I welcome the movement that we appear to have had from Priti Patel and the Home Office this morning. When I came to the chamber, I was still trying to absorb all the details but, as I understand it, Ukrainians with a Ukrainian passport will now be able to apply for a visa online—but only through the family route, which is the only route that is open right now—rather than have to go to a visa application centre.
“That is movement. I understand that, for such people, the biometric processes will be completed when they come to the UK. However, that approach still requires a visa application process, which is not good enough. We need to waive that process, allow people to get here and do the paperwork after that. That is not only the humanitarian thing to do; it is what other countries are doing.”
The First Minister added: “We hope that, over the next couple of days, we will have confirmation from the UK Government of the opening of the community sponsorship route. That is being overseen by Michael Gove rather than the Home Office. I have had constructive discussions with him about it in the past couple of days.
“The Scottish Government has put to him and his officials a proposition that would allow us, in partnership with the Scottish Refugee Council and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, to run the scheme in Scotland so that we can ensure that people who come through it get the right support.
“The vast majority of people in Scotland want to welcome them with open arms, and that is what we are intent on doing if we possibly can and if the UK Government procedures allow us to do so.”
- Additional reporting by Bill Heaney