Nearly a dozen Ukrainian refugees have been left homeless in Bristol. Families, including children, had to seek help from counseling after the break-up.
Between 24 February and 3 June, the Bristol City Council helped eight households that had fled the war in Ukraine but then found themselves homeless in the United Kingdom. This includes a single household and seven dependent children.
Bristol City Council said the figures were wrong, but did not provide further details. The data are published by the Equalization, Housing and Communities Department.
Read more: Thousands apply for grants and loans in the fresh air zone
There are two routes to help Ukrainians obtain visas to visit the United Kingdom. Ukraine’s family scheme allows applicants to join family members or extend their stay in the UK, while Homes for Ukraine allows people to offer a home to people fleeing Ukraine, or someone they know, or someone they know. with whom they were compared through the scheme, as a sponsor.
Figures show that one accommodation through the Homes for Ukraine scheme was broken down to the point where the council had to intervene after the sponsor’s proposal was rejected. Of those who had arrived under the family scheme, six needed help because accommodation was not available or suitable on arrival.
In some cases, the situation was solvable, which means that homelessness was prevented. This happened in one case in Bristol.
In other situations, the council had to find new housing for homeless households. In Bristol, five households were housed in temporary accommodation and three were settled.
Across England, 660 Ukrainian refugee households have turned to the councils after facing homelessness. The number may be even higher, as councils are not required to report departmental numbers to housing, housing and communities, and about a quarter have not.
Of those in need, three-quarters, or 480 households, had dependent children, and the remaining 180 households consisted of single people. Of the 145 families that arrived under the Homes for Ukraine scheme, 90 had to seek help for the homeless – because the accommodation arrangement had broken down, and 55 – because the accommodation was not available or suitable.
In addition, in 175 placements under the family scheme, the accommodation organization broke down, and in 280 cases the accommodation was not available or suitable. For some households seeking help, the situation is resolved through mediation (in 45 cases) or by revenge with another sponsor (in 20 cases), while 75 cases of homelessness are resolved differently.
However, councils across England had to find temporary accommodation for 345 homeless Ukrainian refugee households, and another 60 were offered other accommodation.
Read more related articles Read more related articles
Enver Solomon, chief executive of the Refugee Council, said: “It is disturbing to hear that desperate Ukrainian families fleeing the war have suffered injuries and broken hearts when they arrive here, entrusting their safety in our hands, left to fall in homelessness.
“Ukrainian families who come here need a warm welcome, safe housing and benefits, emotional support and connection. We are concerned that Ukrainians arriving on family visas face problems, as not all relatives will have the space or resources to support their family members – so there must be the same level of funding available to them and local councils as is provided under the scheme Homes for Ukraine.
“We welcomed the thousands of Britons who presented themselves to open their homes, but this hosting relationship would always come with risks and responsibilities. It is therefore vital that the government ensures that hosts and refugees are provided with appropriate training and specialized support – including assistance in finding alternative accommodation when necessary to avoid the risk of homelessness. ”
Commenting on the figures, a government spokesman told the Guardian that more than 77,200 Ukrainians had arrived in the UK since Putin’s invasion and the vast majority settled well, but in a minority of cases where family or sponsorship ties fell apart, the councils made a commitment. to ensure that families are not left homeless. The councils also have access to a rematch service to find a new sponsor in Homes for Ukraine cases.
Read on
Read more related articles Read more related articles
Add Comment