The Welsh Government has moved to increase payments to people sponsoring Ukrainians in a bid to get as many refugees rehomed as quickly as possible. Of the 6,500 refugees from Ukraine now in Wales, more than 3,000 arrived through the Welsh Government’s super sponsor scheme and more than half of them remain housed in welcome centres.
One thousand refugees have been moved into longer term accommodation while 500 have left Wales. The welcome centres - usually hotels - are all planned for closure in the near future meaning the government and local authorities need to act quickly to house Ukrainians.
Refugees have told WalesOnline that this is happening against a backdrop of homeowners being reluctant to come forward to take them in due to costs. At a welcome centre in Monmouthshire which will close by April 1, last month many said they found trying to rent a property themselves almost impossible due to landlords’ concerns over their finances.
