Ukraine war: Delays to £350 ‘thank you’ for UK refugee hosts, charity says

‘In some cases, Ukrainian guests have had to leave accommodation,’ Mums4Ukraine chair founder says

Britons are facing delays over Homes for Ukraine monthly payment, charity says (AFP via Getty Images)

Britons who have opened their homes to Ukrainian refugees are facing a postcode lottery over how quickly they get their monthly £350 “thank you” payment from the UK government, according to a charity.

Some delays have reportedly caused financial problems that ended with guests having to leave.

The Homes for Ukraine scheme allows those fleeing the war with Russia to come to the UK to stay in the homes of Britons sponsoring them.

The government is giving these hosts - who are committing to at least six months - £350 a month as a “thank you”.

But a charity has claimed there are issues with the roll out of this money.

“In some places, payments are happening quickly and more efficiently, and others they’re being more delayed,” Rend Platings from Mums4Ukraine told Sky News.

“It is a postcode lottery. What we need to see happen is a more human side to the way in which we’re dealing with all of this.”

The Russian invasion of Ukraine is approaching its fourth month (AFP via Getty Images)

Ms Platings said there were some instances where delays were even causing problems between the host families and their guests.

“We have seen some more serious cases, where hosts have just not been able to make ends meet, have asked Ukrainian guests for money and the relationship has broken down - just due to the pressure of the situation,” she told Sky News.

“Unfortunately, in some of those cases, Ukrainian guests have had to leave that accommodation.”

Earlier this week, government figures showed around 51,800 Ukrainians have arrived in the UK after being “matched” with people offering rooms under the Homes for Ukraine scheme.

Boris Johnson, the British prime minister, visited Kyiv this week (via REUTERS)

A further 25,400 have come to Britain from Ukraine under the family scheme, which allows refugees to join relatives in the country.

But more than 660 families have been forced to register as homeless in the UK after arriving under the schemes, according to the data.

A Local Government Association spokesperson said: “The priority for councils has been putting in place quickly and at scale both the necessary checks to ensure that hosts and their guests are safe and supported.

“Councils are aware that another key task is to pay hosts the ‘thank you’ payment.

“Now the funding and guidance from government is in place, those hosting new arrivals will be receiving these payments as soon as possible if they haven’t already, including backdated payments.”

A government spokesperson said: “We are grateful to everyone all over the UK who has opened their homes to Ukrainians. Every household can receive an optional £350 thank you payment for each month they host a Ukrainian family.

“Ukrainians on the scheme have access to benefits and the right to work from the day they arrive, and receive an additional £200 interim payment.”

The Independent has a proud history of campaigning for the rights of the most vulnerable, and we first ran our Refugees Welcome campaign during the war in Syria in 2015.

Now, as we renew our campaign and launch this petition in the wake of the unfolding Ukrainian crisis, we are calling on the government to go further and faster to ensure help is delivered.

To find out more about our Refugees Welcome campaign, click here. To sign the petition click here. If you would like to donate then please click here for our GoFundMe page.