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07
Apr 2022
180 homes in North Yorkshire ready to welcome Ukrainian refugees
Ukrainians who have fled war in their homeland have started to arrive in North Yorkshire, where around 180 households will welcome the refugees into their homes.
Council officials said the first refugees will be housed “very shortly” under the Homes for Ukraine scheme, which allows residents to sponsor a Ukrainian.
Those who have signed up as hosts will have their homes checked by local councils to ensure they are suitable.
A spokesperson for Harrogate Borough Council said the process also includes background checks on sponsors and arranging education for refugee children.
The spokesperson said:
The government-led scheme has been criticised for not working quickly enough to grant visas to Ukrainians fleeing the Russian invasion.
Read more:
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There are also concerns that councils have not been provided all the information they need to run the programme.
Craven District Council has signed up to the scheme and said it was awaiting guidance on when the home checks should take place and how they will work.
It also said it was awaiting more information on how payments will be made to hosts.
Paul Ellis, director of services at Craven District Council, said:
Unlike other refugee schemes, the government is assuming that all local authorities will participate, rather than inviting them to take part.
As well as individual households – charities, community groups and businesses can also apply to bring Ukrainians to safety, including those with no family ties to the UK.
In the first phase of the scheme, people will need the name of a specific Ukrainian individual or family they wish to sponsor.
The government advises them to “get in contact with them directly, and prepare to fill in a visa application with all their details and yours”.
Those who don’t personally know anyone fleeing Ukraine can still register their interest on the government’s website.
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