More than 200,000 arrivals to UK under Ukraine visa schemes

The milestone was reached almost two years after the Russian invasion in February 2022 prompted Ukrainians to flee their home country for safety in other nations.

The latest figures, published by the Government, showed that as of February 12, there had been 200,200 arrivals under visa schemes.

There have been 143,400 under the Homes for Ukraine scheme, and 56,800 under the Ukraine Family Scheme.

People across the UK were encouraged to open their homes to Ukrainian refugees in March 2022, with  Housing Secretary Michael Gove referencing the UK’s “long and proud history of helping others in their hour of need”.

He described the Homes for Ukraine scheme at the time as offering “a lifeline to those who have been forced to flee” the invasion.

The scheme, also known as the Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme, allows Ukrainian nationals and their family members to come to the UK if they have a named sponsor.

The Ukraine Family Scheme allows applicants to join family members or extend their stay in the UK, while an extension scheme is also in place for Ukrainian nationals and their immediate family members to apply for permission to stay in the UK.

A total of 31,400 applications to extend permission to stay under the Ukraine Family Scheme and Ukraine Extension Scheme had been granted as of February 13.

The British Red Cross, which has helped tens of thousands of Ukrainians with emergency assistance and case work support, said the schemes “should be celebrated for providing a swift route to safety for thousands of people fleeing conflict”.

But the charity added that certainty is needed as visas come close to expiring.

In the period since the schemes launched, homelessness has become a concern as sponsor arrangements come to an end just as England faces record levels of people in temporary accommodation.

The first visas issued as part of the Homes for Ukraine scheme are due to expire in March 2025.

There have been some concerns around the future for those who have fled here, with a Government minister in November having declined to rule out bringing in a fee to extend their stay.

Then-immigration minister Robert Jenrick said the potential extension of the visa period for Ukrainians in the UK was being kept under “consistent review”, adding that this “includes whether to require a fee”.

One 33-year-old Ukrainian who was among the first to get a visa under the Homes for Ukraine scheme told of her concerns amid the uncertainty.

Anna Tysovska, who arrived in the UK at the end of March 2022 from Kyiv, said she is grateful for all the support given but is also wondering “what happens next” as her visa expires in March 2025.

She told the PA news agency: “We are not trying to be demanding – we are very grateful for the support from the UK – but need some clarification on when it will expire and what happens next.”

A report by the National Audit Office in October 2023 said Ukrainians must be given certainty over their futures in the UK, including around visa extensions.

The Government, responding to the report, said it would give an update on the future of the scheme “well before the first visas expire”.

Eleanor Paton, policy and advocacy manager for the British Red Cross, said: “With just over a year left before the majority of the visas expire, many Ukrainians are worried about their futures.

“The uncertainty makes it difficult for people to find work, rent homes and make long-term plans for their families.

“The Government must provide reassurance that Ukrainians will have the protection they need. This should include a long-term visa extension, along with support for integration and help for people to reunite with their families.”

In the autumn statement the Government confirmed that “thank you” payments to hosts under the Homes for Ukraine scheme – £350 a month during the first 12 months and rising to £500 thereafter – would be extended for a third year.

The latest figures come in the same week that the Ukrainian Red Cross director general visited London.

Maksym Dotsenko said the issue of Ukrainians who fled at the outbreak of war and since then possibly returning to their homeland is now part of the conversation in Ukraine society and in government.

He told PA there is currently “very big discussion in society and in the government (about) how to motivate people to come back”.

He added: “For now it’s still very, very sensitive, very difficult.

“When you are living outside of Ukraine, you see only the negative points of life, you know, and it’s very difficult to make a decision to come back.”