Britain has given refuge to nearly 107 000 Ukrainians since March. Social media groups such as Rooms for Ukraine, Homes for Ukraine, and Sunflower Sisters, among others — connected thousands of refugees and hosts willing to help. 

However, with every passing month, it becomes more and more difficult for Ukrainians fleeing their war-torn country to find a roof over their head. 

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The chairman of the Local Government Association (LGA) James Jamieson recently told Time about his concern regarding “the growing number of Ukrainians presenting as homeless to their local government council.” Jamieson also stressed that thousands more are expected to find themselves without shelter in the upcoming weeks. 

According to The Guardian, the next wave of homeless Ukrainian refugees could hit at the end of the year. Over 14,000 Ukrainians will then reach the end of their initial sponsorships.

Hundreds of generous British families discovered the hardships of living with strangers for the past half a year or so. As a result, one in four hosts isn’t willing to host beyond the initial six months or have asked their guests to leave early, as data provided by ONS showed already back in August. 

Several media outlets report that some local government councils would offer additional financial support on top of the £350 a month hosts already receive in monthly assistance, while others reportedly plan to ask for government subsidies.

Image: Unsplash

Author: Sébastien Meuwissen