First matches being made under Homes for Ukraine scheme
The Welsh Government has confirmed that people fleeing the war in Ukraine will be able to choose to come to Wales from the end of this week.
10,000 people in Wales have registered to offer space in their home and to sponsor someone from Ukraine, as part of the Homes for Ukraine scheme, which will enable people who are trying to escape the conflict who don’t have existing family connections to obtain a visa to come to the UK for up to three years.
Under the scheme, those offering homes to refugees would receive a thank you payment of £350 a month.
Desperate circumstances
“The Homes for Ukraine scheme will help people facing desperate circumstances who are in desperate need,” First Minister Mark Drakeford said.
“We not only have a responsibility to help people fleeing such difficult circumstances, but we have a responsibility to ensure support services are in place when people arrive. We’re working closely with people and organisations across Wales to make sure this happens.”
“We want Wales to be a Nation of Sanctuary, and we’ll continue to do everything we can to make sure there is a warm welcome waiting in Wales.”
Super sponsor
“As part of our role as a super sponsor, we have been working intensely with local government in Wales; with the third sector and with wider public services to ensure all the support refugees need when they arrive in Wales are available, “ Jane Hutt, Minister for Social Justice, added.
“This includes support for people suffering trauma and ill health as a direct result of the conflict.
“We will also be able to sponsor people directly and people arriving via this route will be directed to one of the welcome centres, which are being set up across Wales before going on to medium and longer-term accommodation. This model is based on the success of the Afghan and Syrian resettlement schemes.”
It is estimated that close to 3.5 million refugees who have fled Ukraine since Russia’s invasion last month, with most arriving at border points in Poland, Slovakia, Romania and Hungary.
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I sincerely hope Welsh Government makes the process easy to host refugees. We got our forms from UK Government yesterday to host someone/ family. I need a law degree to complete this! How on earth do I show proof that the father of any child we host has given his permission for that child to be taken from Ukraine when they fled from shelling? We even have to provide this if the mother escaped with the child. The UK Government has bowed to public pressure to nominally allow refugees in, but has made this process so hard to ensure refugees… Read more »
“given his permission for that child to be taken from Ukraine ”
Ask your MP/AS to explain child protection. With reference to trafficking.
I too hope that the Senedd will make the process easier to home the Ukrainian refugees into sponsored homes. I have also registered under the Home for Ukrainians scheme but under the present system unless you know the refugees then you are in limbo land. But the poor refugees need help and sanctuary now. With each passing hour lives are lost. Also plenty of second and holiday homes in Wales could be used to provide sanctuary for them.