According to charity, British hosts of Ukrainian refugees received monthly PS350 “thanks” payments.
The Homes to Ukrainescheme gives Ukrainian households the right to cash to help them move forward. However, in certain areas, the rollout has been slow or delayed.
Sky News spoke with Rend Platings (chair of Mums4Ukraine): “Some places are making payments faster and more efficiently than others, while other times they’re taking longer to process.
It is a lottery of postcodes. We need to show more humanity in how we deal with this.
Ms. Platings said that delayed payments can lead to financial pressures in some households which can have devastating results.
She stated that she had seen more severe cases in which hosts, who were unable to make ends meet and have requested money from their guests from Ukraine, and the relationship was strained.
“Unfortunately, some of these cases have seen that guests from Ukraine had to leave the accommodation.”
Since April, Alex Sadler and his partner have hosted Natalia and their five-year old daughter.
Alex claims that they experienced delays in receiving their “thank-you” payment, which affected their ability give the Ukrainian family an unforgettable experience.
Sky News interviewed him: “It’s all about showing them, I suppose, a real welcoming to this country, and showing them that they’re here for support.”
“I don’t think we were able to do that. We imagined that we would show them around and spend a lot of money on them. This would give them a better life than what they are currently living.
He said that Natalia would have been able start her own independence if the payments had not been delayed.
Continue reading: UN refugee Agency raises concerns about risks for women in UK’s Homes For Ukraine programme
Apart from the grant issue, the cost of living crisis has added financial pressure to both refugees and hosts.
Cherry Hinton Baptist Church, Cambridge, is helping to coordinate a food bank.
Sky News’ Coordinator Chris Tanton said there has been “strong demand”.
He stated that the British people were very open to letting people in their homes and providing shelter.
“But that doesn’t mean they can provide for them with the ongoing costs of living. That doesn’t mean they can continue feeding and clothing them to the level they deserve. So places like these help.
The spokesperson for the Local Government Association, which includes more than 350 councils in England and Wales, stated: “Councils continue their tireless work to support communities, individuals, and those who have shown immense generosity and offered to house refugees fleeing war in Ukraine.
Councils have made it a priority to quickly implement the necessary checks that will ensure guests and hosts are supported and safe.
Councils know that paying hosts the ‘thank-you’ payment is another important task.
“Now that funding and guidance has been provided by the government, new arrivals will receive these payments as soon if not already. This includes backdated payments.