Key facts
- UK government is cutting funding for the Homes for Ukraine scheme.
- Monthly host payments will decrease from £350 to £100.
- Contributions to local authorities will be reduced from £5,900 to £3,300.
- The changes will be implemented starting January 1, 2027.
- Ukrainian refugees fear losing their accommodation due to the funding cuts.
The UK government has announced significant cuts to the funding provided for the Homes for Ukraine scheme, a program established following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The monthly 'thank you' payments to hosts will be reduced from £350 to £100, and contributions to local authorities for associated costs will decrease from £5,900 to £3,300 per arrival. These changes are scheduled to take effect from January 1, 2027.
Ukrainian refugees participating in the scheme fear that these reductions will make it unsustainable for their hosts to continue providing accommodation, potentially leaving them homeless. Tetiana, a 73-year-old refugee who has been hosted for over two years, expressed distress, stating that the financial change could impact her host's ability to support her. She noted her inability to work due to age and mobility issues, making a return to Ukraine, near the Russian frontline, impossible and leaving her uncertain about how she would afford rent if hosting ends.
Nataliya Rumyanetseva, hosting her mother, highlighted the initial shock and adaptation period for arriving refugees and suggested that a shift towards commercial rental arrangements would be "cruel." Another host in Greenwich expressed dismay at the payment reduction, calling it a "lifeline" and worrying about the consequences for Ukrainians. The government has provided over £1.81 billion for the scheme to date, and one proposed option for hosts is to transition to landlord status and charge rent.