However, ministers have not announced any additional financial support for UK hosts taking part in the Homes for Ukraine scheme, despite warnings that the cost of living crisis is preventing people from signing up or continuing to take part. Monthly payments to hosts of Ukrainian refugees should be doubled to £700 to help provide them with accommodation for more than six months due to rising costs, the relevant minister said. Launching the appeal for new hosts, Refugee Secretary Lord Harrington said: “I would urge anyone who can to come forward and join thousands of others in providing a safe haven for people being forced to flee their country.” The appeal coincides with a series of events across the UK to mark the sixth anniversary of the war and the 31st anniversary of Ukraine’s declaration of independence. UK landmarks including the London Eye, Blackpool Tower and Wembley Arch were lit up in Ukraine’s national colors of yellow and blue on Tuesday afternoon, with the display to be repeated on Wednesday evening. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “Whatever it takes, the UK will stand by Ukraine and provide all possible military, economic and humanitarian support.” Earlier, Harrington said he was lobbying the Treasury “very hard” to double the £350-a-month “thank you” payment for sponsors who house refugees for more than six months. “The cost … they’re paying can be a big chunk of rent, the mortgage payments have gone up and everything, and I think it’s absolutely reasonable, in my view, to increase the amount we’re paying them,” he told PA Media . His appeal came amid ballooning living costs – with energy bills expected to rise by 80% due to winter – soaring inflation and rising interest rates. Councils have also warned that homelessness could increase if refugees’ first six-month placements with hosts run out without alternative options. More than 115,000 Ukrainians have arrived in the UK under visa schemes, according to the latest government figures, including around 81,700 refugees through the sponsorship scheme. Harrington said around 4,000-5,000 Ukrainians were arriving in the UK each week. The Homes for Ukraine scheme currently provides visitors with a £200 welcome payment and hosts £350 a month as a ‘thank you’ payment for supporting refugees. Councils also receive £10,500 under the scheme. An Office for National Statistics survey commissioned by Harrington this month found that a majority of hosts said the rising cost of living was hampering their ability to support Ukrainian refugees. Archie Bland and Nimo Omer take you to the top stories and what they mean, free every weekday morning Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain information about charities, online advertising and content sponsored by external parties. For more information, see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and Google’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Almost a quarter (23%) of sponsors who said they would only host refugees for six months or less said their decision not to continue the program was because they could no longer afford it. Just under four in 10 (38%) said they would be encouraged to host for longer if more support was offered. The Sanctuary Foundation, a charity that helps support hosts and refugees, is launching a campaign, Not Too Late To Host, with the Opora network, which helps Ukrainians get to the UK, to encourage more people to become sponsors. Sanctuary Foundation director Dr Krish Kandiah said the need for hosts is “even more desperate” now. He said: “Neighboring countries are struggling to cope. That is why we are urging more Britons to welcome Ukrainians into their homes.” Meanwhile, the British Red Cross has also called on the government to provide financial support to people enrolled in Ukraine’s Family Scheme, where British-Ukrainian residents support their family who have fled the nation since the invasion in February. Currently, they do not receive government payments. Richard Blewitt, chief executive of the British Red Cross, said: “We are encouraging the UK Government to step up its financial support given the scale of the financial crisis here in the UK and the cost of living crisis, particularly for homemakers. “With the Family Program of Ukraine, maybe the government should chip in to help those families who also host many Ukrainians.”
