The Russian invasion of Ukraine has forced at least 12 million Ukrainians to flee their homes. Many of these refugees have moved elsewhere in Europe, including to the UK, where the government offered specialised visa routes and programmes. One was the Homes for Ukraine scheme, which matched Ukrainian refugees with British host families. Over 100,000 Britons registered their interest in hosting within a day of the scheme launching.
The latest figures show that over 165,000 visas have been granted and 127,000 Ukrainians have now arrived via the scheme.
In a new report, we explore the motivations behind this reaction, and whether host enthusiasm is enough to declare the programme a success. Our findings suggest that parts of the scheme could be replicated for other vulnerable groups. But its potential as a long-term solution to displacement needs serious rethinking for future scenarios.
