A Ukrainian refugee was left homeless just days after moving in with a host in Brighton who asked her for money to pay utility bills.
The 36-year-old Alder, who asked not to use her real name, moved in with her host, who has registered with the government’s home scheme for Ukraine. But she was told to leave when she said she was unable to pay the money her host asked for.
A source from the Department of Equalization, Housing and Communities said it was not acceptable for the hosts to ask for money from Ukrainian guests. Hosts can ask for £ 350 a month from a government fund to cover the cost of hosting Ukrainian refugees.
Brighton and Hove City Council Deputy Leader Hannah Clare confirmed that the council was aware of the case and condemned the government accommodation scheme.
“The government’s” Homes for Ukraine “scheme is well drawn up. Among its shortcomings is the fact that there is no mechanism for the councils to transfer a Ukrainian guest to an alternative sponsor when something like this happens, “she said.
Alder, who worked in finance and economics before the war, identified with a 60-year-old British woman through a Facebook group and registered with the government’s home scheme for Ukraine. She fled her home in the Dnieper on March 28 and began a dangerous and arduous journey from Ukraine by car. She arrived in Brighton about two weeks later.
At first, Alder thought things would go well with her host. She provided her with dinner when she arrived, but told her she would be expected to provide for herself after that.
But soon the host started asking for money and said that Alder cost her a lot of household bills. “She contacted the utility companies, asked them how much she had spent this week and told me that her energy bills had increased a lot since I arrived and that I had to pay her £ 50 a week for energy bills. She said that if I didn’t want to pay her, I had to leave, “Alder said.
“I felt so upset that I thought it would be better to stay at home in Ukraine so that I would not experience something like this.
She left her host’s home and managed to find someone from the local church who offered to stay with her for a few days.
“I am in a very difficult situation because my family is still in Ukraine. My brother is a soldier and my mother refused to leave the country. I received conflicting information about what I should do next. I do not want to scare the other Ukrainians who come here, but what happened to me is terrible. It caused me so much stress and made me feel completely insecure. The host told me I had to go. But where to go? I have just arrived in the United Kingdom. “
According to the latest government figures, 6,600 people have arrived as part of Ukraine’s sponsorship scheme with 39,300 visas granted for the initiative. Another 15,000 people arrived on Ukraine’s family scheme with 32,500 of these visas.
The government’s board says the sponsors should inform their local council if the hosting agreement breaks down.
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Clare said: “Unfortunately, we are aware of this truly unfortunate situation. We understand that the woman in question is safe and has been helped by the local community to find another place to live temporarily. We will do what we can to offer her support.
“Homes for Ukraine is a private comparison scheme that is not mediated by the councils. We have been warning all along about the risk of breaking some ties and inappropriate hosts participating due to a lack of proper government oversight.
“The scheme is fundamentally wrong. The councils have no control over when Ukrainian guests arrive in the city, nor do we receive adequate notification. We rely on information from the hosts about when the refugees arrive. In view of this, it is not possible for the councils to carry out inspections of property and welfare before the arrival of the guests. “
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