This £350 refugee thing

GDB2222

It's strange that the government did not encourage us to do something similar for Syrian refugees.

Alter_ego

Will the  £350 be subject to income tax?             

sourpuss2021

I am thinking of doing this if I can find a single individual as I have a small single room on offer.  I live in inner London.  But I would need to know they had some money in the bank, or anyway the ability to earn a living.  So I knew they could  buy their own food after the first week or two, and after six months could move into a flatshare or back to Ukraine.  

I stopped having lodgers with Covid but my last two were a 19 year old Russian man from Siberia on a student exchange (abroad for the first time, but had a good iPhone etc), and a 27 year old Belarussian woman on a tourist visa trying to get a work visa (but was not short of money and well-travelled and resourceful). I wouldn't be able to host someone who couldn't express themselves in English or was unable to work and didn't have savings. I'm a tenant myself and not well-off, maybe if my own position was super-secure I'd take more risks.   (No troubles with my landlord though, he's very liberal).

I found this an interesting read:

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/mar/14/offering-room-ukrainian-refugee-spare-bed-support

Getting_greyer

I'm quite sceptical about why they taken this route. Basically, the government want to accept refugees. But they realise a few things

1.  The establishment have for decades blamed immigration for a lot of !!!!!! poor public goods provision and social welfare.
2. There are lots of jobs that could be filled by immigration. But...the current government have recently been trumpeting their immigration rules have increased wages (but definitely not prices).  
3. Populist policies of immigration means government takes a hardline on all and any immigration. See any minister or tabloid mentioning boats in the Channel etc.
4. For refugees to have a chance of integration and to lead a productive life (that also benefits uk) they need access to work and public goods and social welfare (tbf I believe under this scheme this is happening?)
5. Point 4 has upfront costs but can be beneficial in the long run (Ignoring the moral good of offering sanctuary). 
6. Points 2 and 3 mean they can't take quick action like other countries as that would show their squeeze on public goods in Point 1 and expose the lie of Point 2.
7. £350 a month and absolve themselves of responsibility. Immigration up? That's the generosity of the UK public? Councils struggling for funding? Well central government didn't dictate, you'd better find efficiency savings. 1 year down the line real terms pay cut? Well its the fault of those virtue signalling metropolitan elites sponsoring those foreigners who stole your job and and clogged up the NHS.

ProDave

sourpuss2021 said:

ProDave said:

Ah I see, so the £350 is not "rent" 

I cannot see any other circumstances where being given a monthly payment for accommodation is not "rent"  One rule for the government, another rule for the rest.

So when you are trying to evict a tenant, tell the court they were not paying "rent" but giving you an allowance.  do let us know how you get on.

Someone better informed will be along shortly.  But the government agency that is giving you the £350, is not the person who becomes your lodger/excluded occupier.  There is no 'consideration' paid by the Ukrainian person themselves.  So no tenancy is created.

Until the Ukranian finds some casual employment and offers the home owner £50 per month to help out, and the unknowing owner now has a tenant who is probably not a short assured tenant.........

I am not saying don't do it, I am saying be careful.

t0rt0ise

sourpuss2021 said:

I am thinking of doing this if I can find a single individual as I have a small single room on offer.  I live in inner London.  But I would need to know they had some money in the bank, or anyway the ability to earn a living.  So I knew they could  buy their own food after the first week or two, and after six months could move into a flatshare or back to Ukraine.  

I stopped having lodgers with Covid but my last two were a 19 year old Russian man from Siberia on a student exchange (abroad for the first time, but had a good iPhone etc), and a 27 year old Belarussian woman on a tourist visa trying to get a work visa (but was not short of money and well-travelled and resourceful). I wouldn't be able to host someone who couldn't express themselves in English or was unable to work and didn't have savings. I'm a tenant myself and not well-off, maybe if my own position was super-secure I'd take more risks.   (No troubles with my landlord though, he's very liberal).

I found this an interesting read:

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/mar/14/offering-room-ukrainian-refugee-spare-bed-support

According to the news they are going to be allowed to claim benefits so will be able to buy food and clothing for themselves.

prowla

I think this is viewed as temporary help for Ukranian people who have been placed in a desperate situation and need safe haven for a limited time; it's not immigration per-se, though some may subsequently decide they'd like to stay.

Soot2006

My husband and I had already decided we would offer our spare room if the opportunity presented. We may not be sufficiently well connected to public transport/urban stuff, but we have a decent spare room, we have internet and could get an extra computer if needed, perhaps for someone IT based who can rebuild their work from home or find new work. We would happily do this out of charity/compassion and the £350 is a welcome bonus that we would use for utilities/shared meals/etc.  My friend in Austria is hosting two Ukrainian women already. Both have web-based businesses. It's a huge industry over there. Now they are in a safe environment, they are cracking on with their work. They have money, credits cards, etc ... It's difficult and emotional but now they are safe (they didn't know each other before) and essentially hoping against all hope that their homes will still be habitable as soon as they can get back home.

MobileSaver

ProDave said:

sourpuss2021 said:

ProDave said:

I cannot see any other circumstances where being given a monthly payment for accommodation is not "rent"  One rule for the government, another rule for the rest.

Someone better informed will be along shortly.  But the government agency that is giving you the £350, is not the person who becomes your lodger/excluded occupier.  There is no 'consideration' paid by the Ukrainian person themselves.  So no tenancy is created.

Until the Ukranian finds some casual employment and offers the home owner £50 per month to help out, and the unknowing owner now has a tenant who is probably not a short assured tenant......... I am not saying don't do it, I am saying be careful.

You are over-thinking this; in almost all cases the refugee will be living in the same property as the home-owner, they are a lodger not a tenant.

mobileron

Will you lose the single person allowance from the local council?