Ministers are expected to announce details on Monday about the second strand of UK efforts to take in refugees from Ukraine – people who do not already have family links, but will be sponsored either by individuals or organisations. This is what we know so far.
What is the scheme?
The full details are still being organised between the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) and the Home Office, which are jointly in charge of the programme. But the basic outline is that individuals and families, as well as community groups, charities or businesses, can act as sponsors allowing Ukrainian refugees to come to the UK. The idea is that they would provide accommodation and support for an initial 12-month period. Similar schemes have been in place for some time, for example with Syrian refugees, and for asylum seekers from other countries.
How will it work?
This is still being finalised, but the ambition would be to have some sort of online portal through which people or organisations could register their interest and then, if they are suitable, be matched with Ukrainians wanting to come to the UK. For the refugees, they would need to apply in a similar way to those already arriving on the scheme for people with family links, applying online while still overseas.
This could be difficult and cause delays, given the significant difficulties experienced by many Ukrainians using the UK’s family links refugee scheme. This system is being jointly run by the Home Office and by Michael Gove, the levelling up secretary, and Richard Harrington, the Tory former MP who this week was appointed as minister for refugees and given a peerage. From Tuesday, applicants to the family scheme who have passports can undergo biometric checks in the UK, meaning they do not need an in-person appointment before arriving, and the assumption is the sponsorship scheme will work in the same way.
How long can people stay, and what rights will they have?
The initial sponsorship period is expected to be for 12 months, and the Ukrainians will be able to work in that period. One of the details still to be worked out is what happens then – for example if people will need a new sponsor to stay, or whether they will be granted leave to remain for, say, two or three more years.
Why is it not running yet?
The response from officials is that because it is complicated. Potential sponsors need to be checked for suitability, especially if the refugees they take could include children. There is also a need to ensure relevant services are available, for example health services for older arrivals, and schooling for children. As one official puts it: “These things are complicated. There’s no getting around that.”
The DLUHC is liaising with groups, including the Local Government Association, which represents councils, and charities that have worked on similar schemes. One complication is that a relatively high proportion of refugees could be children.
Will there be sufficient interest from people wanting to help?
While officials stress this can be hard to know – people expressing interest in theory, and then committing to house and assist someone for a year can be very different things – there does appear to be a willingness to help. One group, Reset, which helps to operate similar sponsorship schemes, says it has already received hundreds of inquiries. Other charities, which deal directly with matching refugees to homes under existing schemes, have had thousands of people get in touch.
How many people can come?
The DLUHC says there is “no limit on this scheme” and that the UK will welcome as many Ukrainians as want to come and can be found sponsors. Ministers have previously said that up to about 200,000 people could be expected to arrive in total under this scheme, and the existing one for Ukrainians with family ties to the UK.