Ukraine house guests

Slithery

Gavin83 said:
I also agree this is the wrong way to go about it and housing them roughly together would be a better idea.

Probably not the best choice of words but I understood what you meant (I hope)

MobileSaver

Niv said:

steampowered said:

I don't think how taking in a Ukrainian refugee is much different to taking on a lodger. 

Also when you are taking in a lodger you can compel them to leave with minimal notice but this scheme (as reported on radio) says that you must commit to allowing them to stay for 6 months.

I agree with @steampowered that this is pretty much the same as taking in a lodger.

To be eligible to be a sponsor your accommodation must initially be available for at least 6 months but Michael Gove made it clear that you will not be forced to accommodate someone for that long if things don't work out. Basically they don't want to house someone knowing they will definitely have to rehouse them again in say three months time because the room is only available for that short period. They know from previous similar schemes that in practice the schemes work well and in the vast majority of cases are win:win for both the sponsor and refugee.

sourpuss2021

One thing I'm curious about is whether it's possible to sponsor different Ukrainians consecutively, if the first one leaves.

I understand the £350 payment is only for the first year.   So I just mean during this twelve month period.

I live in a flat in London with my double room, a spare single room, and a large lounge.   Really I would like to offer the single room because I don't like giving up the other rooms.  But it's a small room and a resourceful person in London who wasn't in financial difficulty would soon chose to move into somewhere bigger or with people their own age.  

So if that happened would I then be able to go through the scheme again and sponsor someone else?

Or I would have to sponsor someone who I judged would be able to leave after six months, but not so well-resourced that they would leave here at the first opportunity!  Which feels like an odd judgement for me to be needing to make.

Gavin83

Slithery said:

Gavin83 said:
I also agree this is the wrong way to go about it and housing them roughly together would be a better idea.

Probably not the best choice of words but I understood what you meant (I hope)

I meant that rather than dotting them around the country living with people who don't speak their language they'd be better off living in the same area. Support would be much easier to provide, they'd have people close to them who speak the same language/share the same culture and it would be easier to provide teaching to the children.

If I was a terrified refugee having been forced to live in a foreign country I suspect it would provide some comfort to have some people from my home country nearby.

Skiddaw1

I think the potential for things going horribly pear-shaped is immense. For those people who have really thought the whole thing through (and ideally have done similar on previous occasions) I'm sure it could be a highly positive experience, with friendships being forged that will last a lifetime but I think there will be many, many more people who have no idea of what they're potentially taking on. Who is going to pick up the pieces when (inevitably) a significant proportion of the relationships swiftly break down? It's unfair on hosts and refugees alike. Not to mention the risks of exploitation. If a scheme such as this is going to be workable it requires (to my mind at least) a degree of support and facilitation that I'm 100% certain isn't going to be provided.

Flugelhorn

Skiddaw1 said:

I think the potential for things going horribly pear-shaped is immense. For those people who have really thought the whole thing through (and ideally have done similar on previous occasions) I'm sure it could be a highly positive experience, with friendships being forged that will last a lifetime but I think there will be many, many more people who have no idea of what they're potentially taking on. Who is going to pick up the pieces when (inevitably) a significant proportion of the relationships swiftly break down? It's unfair on hosts and refugees alike. Not to mention the risks of exploitation. If a scheme such as this is going to be workable it requires (to my mind at least) a degree of support and facilitation that I'm 100% certain isn't going to be provided.

Quite right
The people arriving are not going to be like the average student lodger, they are displaced, probably traumatised and likely depressed, they may or may not be able to express this in English but it may lead to problems if others don't understand it - they may be angry with the west for not doing more. 

ka7e

I can't believe that so many of you are unaware of Ukrainian and Polish communities already living in most British towns! Many of them will be opening their homes to friends and relatives, but they are also very good at offering support and resources for new residents. Check out your local FB groups for those co-ordinating practical help and translation services - there are new ones emerging every day. Post-Covid, many towns have a community hub, "village agents", community pantries, gifting sites and support networks already in place and these are ideally placed to deal with "crisis support". Also local Councils will be given £10k per displaced person to help with support and integration.

It makes sense to check out what your local area offers to support yourself and any potential refugees, and I think many people who ARE putting themselves forward as hosts are already aware of this.

Skiddaw1

I hope so @ka7e .

Yes I agree-  we previously lived in a town with a significant Ukrainian/Polish community and I am aware they have (as I would have expected) risen magnificently to the challenge (and will continue to do so I am sure). Despite that, personally, I stand by my previous comments. Time will tell I suppose.

AlexMac

user1977 said:

There's an existing thread:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6342488/this-350-refugee-thing#latest

In case these don't get merged, I just posted on the other thread, as follows; cynical? Moi?  Government has an Exit Strategy? Bien sur...?

AlexMac said:

I assume that Michael Gove's Civil Servants will be considering all of these issues;

-  the legalistic ones  (impact on CT, Income tax, Tenancy/lodger status, protection of the "tenant or lodger", need for Insurer or Mortgage lenders' permission, disputes resolution ...)

-  The safeguarding ones (speeding up Police or status checks of hosts, family or visitors, child protection, avoidance of and subsequent exploitation...)

- Refugees'  and Hosts' needs and impact on local services (Health, including Mental Health, Child & Adolescent Mental Health (CAMs), Trauma Counselling if required, Social Care, Education, networks of mutual support, need for respite or temporary care or housing if hosts experience trauma, separation or health crises...) 

...and will come up with intelligible, comprehensive, cost-effective and clearly communicated commonsense guidance, and  systems which build on existing local infrastructure...

... just as they did with, for example, with the need to respond to the Covid pandemic

... oh?  Hang on a 'mo? 

... Dido's Test, Track n Trace? (£47 Billion to Consultants), PPE supply (£megabucks to mates on the Special Track),  £5 Billion Education Catch-Up tutoring (£Millions to Randstad  who achieved 10-15% of target outcomes )... 

Or let's be optimistic and hope it's more like the Oxford Astra Zenica vaccine; produced in record time and sold at cost!

sourpuss2021

Flugelhorn said:

Skiddaw1 said:

I think the potential for things going horribly pear-shaped is immense. For those people who have really thought the whole thing through (and ideally have done similar on previous occasions) I'm sure it could be a highly positive experience, with friendships being forged that will last a lifetime but I think there will be many, many more people who have no idea of what they're potentially taking on. Who is going to pick up the pieces when (inevitably) a significant proportion of the relationships swiftly break down? It's unfair on hosts and refugees alike. Not to mention the risks of exploitation. If a scheme such as this is going to be workable it requires (to my mind at least) a degree of support and facilitation that I'm 100% certain isn't going to be provided.

Quite right
The people arriving are not going to be like the average student lodger, they are displaced, probably traumatised and likely depressed, they may or may not be able to express this in English but it may lead to problems if others don't understand it - they may be angry with the west for not doing more. 

I just read something similar from someone on FB:

"Lots of hosts in Poland going through very difficult feelings when they do what they can to help,but feel ignored when they try to talk or make a connection with the refugees;dissapointed as expectation of Ukrainian family being forever grateful and happy is met with real life when the guests are traumatised, depressed, scared and angry.

We have to remember this people are not coming for holidays. They have no choice but flee to safety"