The number of Ukrainian new arrivals presenting to their councils as homeless is continuing to rise, with the latest government figures showing 670 households in temporary accommodation nationwide.
For the first time, the Homes for Ukraine scheme has overtaken the family scheme in the number of homelessness duties owed, indicating an increasing number of sponsors are leaving the scheme as the six-month initial sponsorship period comes to an end.
As first was going to press, it was reported that the Government has rejected calls to increase payments to UK households hosting Ukrainian refugees, despite hopes that this would encourage people to prolong their participation.
Cllr James Jamieson, LGA Chairman, said: “We are deeply concerned at the growing number of Ukrainians presenting as homeless to their council and, in particular, the significant rise in the number of those who arrived through the Homes for Ukraine scheme.
“It is absolutely crucial that support to sponsors is enhanced as inflation and energy costs increase, so new or existing hosts are encouraged to sponsor in the longer term.
“Council housing and homelessness services are already under significant pressures and further increases may mean families are forced to move into temporary accommodation away from the new schools, jobs and communities they have been building since they arrived.
“Councils will continue to do all they can to help those who are owed homelessness duties but need urgent solutions to pressing housing needs in the short and the long term across all the schemes that welcome new arrivals to the UK.”