Hosts of Ukrainian refugees hit out at ‘horrendous’ support from Home Office
Many Ukrainian refugees say they face “endless bureaucracy” and “terrible” support from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, with thousands left in limbo for three years after Russia invaded the country.
For Juliet Grover, the daughter of a Jewish refugee who fled the Nazis, the decision to own a home was personal. Firmly believing that it was important to provide shelter to those in need, he signed up to the ‘Homes for Ukraine’ scheme as soon as the war broke out in February 2022.
But he says he was immediately struck by the challenges host families face, with little information and advice from the UK government.
“The first people to arrive were a woman and her two young children who were applying for a visa,” he said. Independent. “He was stranded in a refugee center in Poland, it took us four months to get the visas sorted, it was terrible.
“I was on the phone every day, going to see MPs and the government, but we were completely blocked. We managed to get visas for her and her daughter, but her son’s visa was denied, meaning they couldn’t travel for months.”
In desperation, he even traveled from Wales to Sheffield to try to speak to someone at the Home Office, but was refused entry to reception.
Helped by Mrs Grover, the mother, Lena, was eventually able to come to the UK with her son and daughter, who were four and five years old at the time. Ms Grover spent hours registering them with schools, the GP, local authorities and national insurance.
“Thank God, I’m a housewife and I have time to take care of these things, but I didn’t understand any of them. I didn’t have to go to the municipality or figure out the labor laws, if you ask for help, you don’t have the chance to talk to a single person.”
Among the many problems faced by Ukrainian refugees is the lack of translation services, including informational documents to assist with their situation, which are often provided only in English.
Three and a half years ago, after Russian forces invaded eastern Ukraine, Lena packed a quick backpack, grabbed her two children, and fled her hometown of Dnipro.
Although she previously worked in a bank, she now works as a cleaner, and her husband, who joined her eight months later, works at Lidl because he cannot work as an engineer in England.
“They are strong, good people,” Ms. Grover said. “I’ve started helping 20 of them now, and there’s no one who hasn’t found a job within two weeks.”
Last November, Lena’s elderly parents also went to England and are now living with Mrs. Grover. Although they are a retired doctor and teacher, they are not eligible for retirement here and now regularly go to the JobCentre to find ordinary work.
“I’m not allowed to sit inside with them and they can’t speak a word of English. They don’t know the culture or the language, they’re like fish out of water and they’re completely lost,” Ms Grover said. “Just last week they received news that their house was destroyed in a Russian attack.”
They are among 300,000 Ukrainians currently residing in the UK on temporary visas, and former home secretary Yvette Cooper announced earlier this month that the visa could be extended for a further 24 months.
But the visa renewal process proved painful, with only a 28-day window to complete the complex process and an eight-week wait that put their jobs and accommodation at risk.
“We tried for weeks to get this done, and when the visas were finally renewed, Lena and her daughter’s visa arrived, but her son’s was missing again. How did this happen? He was lost in the abyss,” Ms Grover explained.
Many Ukrainians struggle to find accommodation in the private rented sector because they need a deposit, while others struggle to find a guarantor and negotiate with landlords in the UK due to the language barrier.
Last year, a report by the British Red Cross found Homeownership adjustments often occurred due to a lack of adequate training and ongoing support for homeowners, as well as cost-of-living pressures.
Luke Piper, head of immigration at The Work Rights Centre, said: “Frustratingly, Lena’s family’s experience certainly aligns with what we have seen among our clients since the introduction of the Ukraine Leave Extension scheme, which requires Ukrainians to apply to extend their stay. “There are also technical issues making it difficult for Ukrainians to prove their right to work and their right to stay.” We also see.
“When the government changes visa rules or introduces a new scheme, we experience a spike in calls from confused and panicked people trying to understand what this means for them.
“This ongoing uncertainty is taking a toll on many Ukrainians in the UK mentally, hindering their ability to further their careers or put down roots. Some families have been in the UK for around four years, with the visa extension this number will rise to six. With no signs of war slowing down in Ukraine, it is time for ministers to rethink settlement routes for Ukrainians looking to rebuild their lives in Britain came.”
A government spokesman said: “We would like to thank all hosts and sponsors who have made an invaluable contribution to our Ukraine plans. A range of guidance is available to support them on the government website, through the voluntary and community sector and local authorities.
“Government guidance for Ukrainians wishing to apply for the extension plan is available in Ukrainian and Russian.”
