The UK government should set up a parallel Homes for Afghans plan

Editorial: Why is the Ukrainian approach in Britain not being taken to genuine refugees from other conflicts?

Afghan women and girls take part in a protest in front of the Ministry of Education in Kabul (AFP/Getty)

It is a question that should haunt a nation: if so many people are willing and generous enough to open their own homes to Ukrainian refugees, and with official encouragement, why is the same approach not being taken to genuine refugees from other wars, conflicts and violence?

Indeed, the fact the Homes for Ukraine scheme might set a precedent for refugees from other war zones may have been one reason why the package of support has been so long in coming, why gaining eligibility was bureaucratic and demanding, and why the scheme was eventually taken away from the hostile custody of the Home Office.

Even as things stand now, charities complain the scheme remains too inaccessible; the relevant sponsorship form had not been translated into Ukrainian until Thursday, while refugees have also struggled with the requirement to convert forms into PDF format.