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Ukrainian refugees in UK facing homelessness ‘disaster’ next year

Ukrainian refugees arrive at Luton airport in May this year to meet their host, from Staffordshire, UK.

Tens of thousands of Ukrainian refugees in the UK have been warned that they could be homeless next year.

A “shocking” 50,000 refugees from the conflict-stricken country could be made homeless next year, but British ministers are refusing to offer a fresh package of support to offset the impending "disaster", The Guardian reported on Sunday.

As the continuous cost of living crisis puts financial and political constraints on the UK and with no end in sight to the conflict against pro-Russia forces, there have been added concern that the government’s Homes for Ukraine scheme will unravel next month when refugees’ initial six-month placements arrangement finishes without alternative ideas in place.

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Under the scheme, which began in March, Ukrainian refugees were matched with sponsors who agreed to house them for six months and were paid £350 ($411) a month.

However, according to warnings issued by a number of organizations as the initial contracts end, the Ukrainian refugees will be facing relocation problems in the UK that could trigger a “disastrous rise in homelessness.”

Analysis by children’s charity Barnardo’s, Labor and the Liberal Democrats, say that based on feedback from refugee sponsors, between 15,000 and 21,000 Ukrainians could be homeless by the winter, rising to more than 50,000 by the middle of next year.

One group, Refugees at Home, said the figure could be even higher because of a combination of pressures, including energy bills, soaring inflation and climbing interest rates.

“These shocking numbers reveal the scale of the crisis about to hit refugee families who came to Britain under the Homes for Ukraine scheme," warned Lisa Nandy, shadow leveling-up secretary.


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