A charity supporting families coming to the UK from Ukraine said no visas have been granted to those it is helping, almost two weeks on from the Government scheme’s launch. The Homes for Ukraine scheme opened on March 14, with the aim of allowing individuals, charities, community groups and businesses to bring Ukrainians – including those with no family ties to the UK – to safety.
But the organisation Positive Action in Housing said the scheme has left those seeking refuge “to turn in desperation to strangers on social media for sponsors”. It has warned of the danger posed by potential human traffickers.
The charity said that in the past week alone it has been helping 483 Ukrainian families, young people and unaccompanied minors who are asking for assistance to find a sponsor who will also shelter them. Robina Qureshi, director of the charity – which runs Room for Refugees, the UK’s longest-running refugee hosting programme which has been in place since 2002 – said the forms involved in the Ukrainian scheme are “tortuous and confusing – with no guideline”.
