Ukrainian refugee hosts given cash rise

PEOPLE who host Ukraine refugees at home have received a £200 increase in support payments.

Oxfordshire County Council is now giving £550 per month to those who have taken in Ukrainians fleeing the war in their own country.

The higher payments, which will continue until March next year, are funded by the Government.

The increase is not subject to tax and does not affect recipients’ entitlement to benefits.

Rachel Head, who has been helping to find accommodation for Ukrainian refugees since the start of the Homes for Ukraine scheme, does not think the extra money for hosts will solve the current problem in rehousing refugees whose hosts would like to move on.

Mrs Head, from Gallowstree Common, said: “It’s a good thing that they’re giving more money to hosts and hopefully it will incentivise some to host for longer but it’s not a solution because it was never about the money.

“People took in refugees out of the kindness of their hearts so if they decided to stop it’s not about the money because in most instances they have other reasons and their own circumstances and own families to accommodate.

“The fact that the Government has decided to increase payments is the result of the difficulty of more than 1,000 Ukrainians having trouble finding permanent accommodation since hosts decided to stop.

“It’s absolutely fair and fine that hosts want to move on and this should have been anticipated by the Government. They set up the scheme which ended up being very poorly supported by them and was just a ‘do it yourself’ solution with refugees and hosts having to think of and organise everything themselves.

“Hosts were told they were required to host for six months and now it has reached the point where there isn’t accommodation and private landlords, who are the best option, are not flexible enough.

“Very few landlords accept refugees without guarantors or credit history or enormous amounts of money in advance.

“More needs to be done to help the Ukrainians here to find permanent accommodation. They are in the position to rent and can cover the costs through their work or benefits but they need private landlords to be more supportive as there’s very little social housing available.”

There are 36 Ukrainians in the group that she supports in Gallowstree Common, Kidmore End, Sonning Common, Peppard and Stoke Row.

They were taken in by 15 sponsors and now five families have moved on to either new hosts or private landlords.

Ms Head said: “We’re working very hard to find alternatives and we have found some solutions but not without paying enormous amounts of money and having to crowdfund. It has been very difficult and very traumatic time of late.”

Existing or potential hosts can find out more by calling 01865 966444 or visit www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/
ukraine

To help with Ms Head’s support, visit www.justgiving.
com/crowdfunding/UkraineinGTCandthesurrounds?utm
_term=WbAG64Dyg