Number of Ukrainian refugees who have arrived in Britain tops 100,000

Campaigners say success of Ukraine refugee schemes should be replicated for others fleeing conflict

Ukrainian refugee Kira Ryndova, 3, sits on the steps of 10 Downing Street after her family met Boris Johnson last month (PA Wire)

The number of Ukrainian refugees who have been granted sanctuary in the UK’s since the start of Vladimir Putin’s invasion has topped 100,000 for the first time, figures show.

Government data released on Thursday shows that 104,000 people have arrived in Britain under Britain’s two Ukrainian refugee programmes – 31,300 under the family scheme and 72,700 people under the Homes for Ukraine sponsorship scheme.

The figures also show that, as of Tuesday, around 198,200 applications have been made for visas, and 166,200 visas have been issued. This leaves 32,000 people still waiting for decisions on their applications, and 62,200 who have been granted but are yet to arrive in the UK.

The numbers are considerably higher than the volume of people who have come to the UK under other refugee schemes.

The Syrian resettlement scheme, which ended in 2021, welcomed 20,000 refugees, and the two schemes for Afghans – the Afghan Relocation Assistance Policy (ARAP) and the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) – have welcomed around 19,000 so far, including those evacuated during Operation Pitting.

Robina Qureshi, executive officer at Positive Action in Housing, a charity that has been matching refugees and asylum seekers with hosts in the UK for decades, said she welcomed the high numbers.

But she added: “Ukrainians aren’t the only refugees. There’s this narrative that they’re the only legitimate ones, but there are many from other countries – Yemen Syria, Iraq. And they have the threat of the Rwanda plan facing them.

“People arriving on the Channel are in the main refugees, either fleeing war or persecution, and they are left in limbo and fear. It’s concerning that we are unable to help them.

“We hope that now that this model has been established, the government will look at Homes for Yemen, Homes for Syria, because there is no safe route for these people.”

While the numbers granted sanctuary under the Ukrainian refugee schemes are relatively high, there are also concerns about the support people receive once they arrive.

Data from a recent survey by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that only 37 per cent of Ukrainian refugees reported that they have enough money to support themselves and their dependents for the next three months.

Separate data, published by the government in June, showed that 660 households who have come to Britain via the Ukraine routes have been forced to register as homeless.

The Independent revealed in May that thousands of Ukrainians seeking refuge in the UK had been forced to live in overcrowded accommodation, with whole families sharing single rooms.

Calls are mounting for councils to be given funding to support Ukrainian refugees (Reuters)

Local authorities are given £10,500 in central government funding for each refugee under the Homes for Ukraine scheme, but receive no money for those arriving under the family route.

Calls are mounting for councils to be given funding to support those arriving under the family scheme, and for the government to allow refugees on this scheme to be able to switch to the Homes for Ukraine route, which it pledged to do earlier this month.

Labour MP Clive Betts, who chairs the Levelling Up Committee, wrote to the refugees minister last week demanding an update on when the government would fulfil its pledge to enable people to switch from the family scheme to the Homes for Ukraine scheme

Mr Betts said: “As a committee, we have heard of difficulties arising with the rematching process within the Homes for Ukraine scheme when accommodation is found to be unsuitable and when there appears to be perverse application of the rules, with families unable to switch.

“Refugee families need a proper home, not a hotel bedroom or temporary bed and breakfast.”