More than 500 Ukrainian refugees are expected to come to the Bristol region, the local authorities have said.
Last month, the city's mayor said that a total of 150 Ukrainian refugees are expected to come to Bristol, with some having already arrived. No updated figures have been released by the council since, but the council said today (April 12) that 270 hosts in Bristol have signed up for the Homes for Ukraine scheme.
South Gloucestershire Council - who originally said it was expecting 151 refugees - has now said that 198 refugees are expected in the area, with a very small number having already arrived. North Somerset Council has said it is anticipating more than 160 adults and children to arrive in the area via the Homes for Ukraine scheme after 60 households signed up as hosts.
Read more: The Homes for Ukraine hosts near Bristol who are ready to welcome refugees
This means that more than 500 Ukrainian refugees are now expected in the Bristol region. The Homes for Ukraine scheme, rolled out last month, allows individuals, charities, community groups and businesses to bring people fleeing the war to safety - even if they have no ties to the UK and receive £350 per month as a "thank you" payment.
A Bristol City Council spokesperson said “Since the Homes for Ukraine scheme was launched, people across the city have stepped forward to offer their help and truly demonstrate the City of Sanctuary spirit Bristol is known for. This commitment of support is seen clearly in the over 270 hosts who have offered to open up their homes to those displaced by the war in Ukraine.
“We are pleased that some of the first families have arrived in Bristol and we have started to support them. However, as this is a government-led scheme, Bristol City Council is not informed of the arrival of families and therefore we are encouraging hosts to contact us and confirm that their connected families have reached our city. Whilst we wait to welcome more families to Bristol, we will continue to make the preparations needed to ensure that when they do arrive, they have the support they need to rest, recover and rebuild.
“The government has not provided funding, data or guidance to the local authority regarding people arriving on a Ukrainian family visa. We anticipate the city will come forward with a multitude of opportunities, as the city did for Afghans who fled their country in August 2021, and we would like to open these opportunities to people on Ukrainian family visas, as well as people arriving through the Homes for Ukraine scheme.
“The city effort to step up support has been underway since the first days of the war, with agencies and organisations across Bristol coming together to prepare to help the people this conflict has displaced. New advice and guidance is put into practice quickly once it emerges but we continue to press government to ensure that all circumstances are considered so that all needs of those arriving are covered.
"If you are a host and your guests have arrived through the Homes for Ukraine scheme, or you have arrived on a family visa, please contact Bristol City Council on bristolrefugeeteam@bristol.gov.uk."
South Gloucestershire has now said that 198 refugees are expected in South Gloucestershire, with a very small number having already arrived.
In a statement, North Somerset Council said there are two routes into the UK for Ukrainian families which results in different responses from the Council. It said: "A number of families have already arrived here under the Ukraine Family Scheme and they are staying with friends or family members who already live here – we estimate that there are 110 Ukrainians who have lived in North Somerset for some time but we don’t know how many people have come to North Somerset through this scheme.
"The advice we put out through the Council website in relation to support services will be available but the financial support set out by the government for ‘sponsors’ is not available to the family/friends with whom they are staying, nor the allocations given to local authorities.
"The second route is through the Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme (Homes for Ukraine) and, as of 1 April, we have yet to have any arrivals through this scheme. We know that over 60 households have put themselves forward as sponsors and we are anticipating over 160 adults and children being matched with them but we don’t have any information about when they are likely to arrive."
