More than 2,000 Ukrainian refugees settled in Hertfordshire

MORE than 2000 Ukrainian refugees have come to Hertfordshire since March 2022, as part of the ‘Homes for Ukraine’ scheme, according to a council report.

The scheme allows Ukrainians and their immediate family members to come to the UK, when sponsored by a family or organisation.

And it is set to be highlighted in the county council’s annual report for 2022-23 – which will be presented to a meeting of the council’s resources and performance cabinet panel on Thursday (October 5).

According to that report, ‘Since March 2022 Hertfordshire has welcomed 2100 Ukrainian refugees into the county’.

And, it says, they have been ‘sponsored’ by more than 1000 Hertfordshire hosts.

More than half of the Ukrainian ‘guests’, says the report, have already left the scheme – moving on to private rented accommodation, returning to Ukraine or travelling to other countries.

And there are, it says, currently fewer than 880 ‘guests’ being supported by just under 400 hosts.

According to the report, the council’s Homes for Ukraine team is continuing to support those who have travelled from Ukraine – and to recruit new sponsors.

And it says: “This year the Homes for Ukraine team have focussed on supporting guests to find their own accommodation with support from the Citizen’s Advice Bureau and our district and borough council colleagues.

“We are also supporting existing sponsors, and recruiting new sponsors for guests who are moving on from their original hosts for various reasons.”

The report highlights government funding to supplement payments to hosts – as well as additional winter payments to offset the increase in energy charges.

And it states: “We will continue to work hard with partners to support arrivals from countries such as Afghanistan and Ukraine to resettle in the UK.”

The annual report, for 2022-23, is designed to demonstrate how the county council is delivering against its priorities for a ‘cleaner, greener, healthier’ Hertfordshire.

It will be presented to a meeting of the council’s resources and performance cabinet panel on Thursday (October 5).

And, subject to agreement by a meeting of the council’s cabinet, on Monday (October 9) it will be published on the county council’s website.