More than 1,700 Ukrainian refugees have been welcomed to Nottinghamshire since the Russian invasion began. The Homes for Ukraine scheme offers British families the chance to house Ukrainians fleeing the ongoing conflict.
Conservative-led authority Nottinghamshire County Council said as of December 1, 1,707 people in 1,201 groups have been hosted by 786 sponsors under the scheme. The local authority receives £10,500 per guest from the Government.
The Homes for Ukraine scheme was launched in March 2022 by the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.
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It gives the opportunity for Ukrainians to live and work in the UK for up to three years and access to benefits and healthcare.
The County Council has decided to extend the offer of free concessionary bus passes which have been “of great value in helping refugees settle into the County and to travel to work and school”.
The council is also allocating funding from the Homes for Ukraine budget to Newark and Sherwood District Council for the provision of additional support services to refugees.
Data shows that 362 (21.2 per cent) of the 1,708 refugees who have been granted visas for the county will reside in the area run by Newark and Sherwood District Council (NSDC).
“NSDC has taken a very active role in welcoming refugees to its area and proactively providing assistance to sponsors and guests,” council papers stated.
Work by NSDC has included organising and delivering welcome events, networking events and a social eating event.
Staff have also been actively managing the hosting relationships in the area and offering additional support to hosts and guests to help the guests quickly resettle and make a new life in the district and to resolve issues that they have faced.
The county council has therefore decided to reimburse £130,000 of costs incurred by NSDC in supporting the scheme.
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