The Green Party has warned that plans announced by the government to allow people to ‘host’ refugees from the war in Ukraine in their homes do not offer the support needed.
Under plans announced by the government from Friday people will be able to sponsor the visa to host a Ukrainian refugee to live in their home for at least six months. Initial applications will depend on applicants knowing a named individual from Ukraine they wish to help; it is planned the scheme will be expanded to allow refugees with no family in or links to the UK to also be hosted.Charities, faith groups and community organizations will be asked to support the roll out of this part of the scheme, although no timescale for this has been announced so far.
Speaking to the BBC Housing and Communities Secretary Michael Gove said the scheme was part of the UK’s long tradition of ‘supporting the most vulnerable during their darkest hours’.
Green Party migration and refugee support spokesperson Benali Hamdache said the scheme was a ‘pale imitation’ of the support other European Union has provided saying they had ‘waived all visas and given refugees the right to asylum for three years’. Adding that the UK has instead ‘created a bureaucratic hosting process that will mean refugees won't be able to live independently’.
He warned there could be problems for both refugees and sponsors were their relationship to fail for any reason and that the scheme did not properly address the needs of families fleeing the war.
Concern has also been expressed by the Refugee Council that people fleeing the war are still being required to apply for visas and that sufficient support for refugees has not yet been put in place, particularly around access to schools and benefits.
CEO Enver Solomon said the scheme ‘falls short of enabling any Ukrainian, particularly the most vulnerable such as children who are alone, to seek safety in the UK and access the full support they urgently need’.
Adding ‘We are also worried about ensuring the safety and wellbeing for Ukrainians who have fled bloodshed, and the level of support available for their sponsors. We are talking about very traumatised women and children whose experiences are unique, and the level of support needs to match that. It’s like asking people to be foster carers without any robust checks, training or having a social worker in place to support them’.
Benali Hamdache said the government were ‘passing on their responsibility’ towards refugees and were leaving everything down to ‘the British public’s kindness and desire to help’.
He ended by saying ‘The charity of individuals should not be relied on to replace the joined-up humanitarian approach that could be provided’.