Media: Almost 5,000 Ukrainian households who fled to UK facing homelessness, report finds

Thousands of Ukrainians who decided to flee the Russian war and came to the UK under the government’s Homes for Ukraine scheme are homeless or at risk of homelessness, a new report has found, according to Sky News.

The National Audit Office, responsible for auditing central government departments and government agencies, which has conducted a report into the scheme, said 4,890 households were assessed as such by a local authority.

The number “likely understates the true picture” as about a third of local authorities did not provide data and the risk of homelessness, the report said.

Exact data was not given on the number of Ukrainians who have become homeless.

“Local authorities have taken a range of actions to protect people from becoming homeless, including sponsor rematching and support to move into rented accommodation, and many will have been provided temporary accommodation in the interim,” the National Audit Office informed. 

The UK government launched the Homes for Ukraine scheme on 14 March 2022, following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

The scheme enables people in the UK to act as sponsors for Ukrainian nationals and their families seeking refuge from the war, with individuals being granted three-year visas to stay in the UK, with full access to public services, benefits, and other support.

Since March 2022, 131,000 Ukrainians have arrived in the UK through the Homes for Ukraine scheme. However, as more sponsorship arrangements come to an end the risk of homelessness is likely to increase.

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