Visa scheme is in disarray say charities
A Scottish refugee charity has claimed no visas have been issued to Ukrainians, two weeks on from the UK government’s safe passage scheme.
The scheme opened on 14 March and aimed to allow individuals, charities, community groups and businesses to bring Ukrainians, including those without family ties to the UK, to safety after the Russian invasion.
However Positive Action in Housing said none of the families it was supporting had been granted visas.
Its head, Robina Qureshi, said: “The government made a fanfare of its Homes for Ukraine community sponsorship programme. Michael Gove told parliament on 14 March that there was no limit on the numbers coming in. Yet none of the families we are supporting have yet got a visa to travel under the community sponsorship scheme and are still waiting.”
Qureshi said Positive Action in Housing had been helping 483 families, young people and unaccompanied minors in the last week alone who needed a sponsor who would house them.
She said the forms involved in the scheme were “tortuous and confusing – with no guideline”.
“Refugees are turning to wholly unsafe methods of getting here, meeting people in Facebook groups, on social media. And this government is responsible for giving people false hope and putting them further in the way of danger.”
Michael Gove, the housing and communities secretary, said there was no limit on the numbers coming in, and ministers have speculated that they expect eventual numbers to reach hundreds of thousands.
A government spokesperson said: “We are moving as quickly as possible to ensure that those fleeing horrific persecution in Ukraine can find safety in the UK through the Family Scheme and our new Homes for Ukraine scheme.”
I think having seen our council housing estates up close and having lived in Romania and visited Ukraine many times. They will not be integrated well into council housing estates with loud music, drugs (wake and bakers), gardens full of waste, food banks, not working, diabetes rates (from poor diets) etc etc etc...and even waiting to see a GP for a month...or a year for a consultant. These things don't happen there. They are more disciplined people than us. We have lost sight of discipline with crazy ideas like calling drug use a health issue, it's only a health issue to the person doing it not family & society that suffers their actions (the worst being their evangelism for their lifestyles). I feel really sorry if they need to start off like that. It is a myth these nations are third world. Total myth. These people have lost homes they "owned", jobs they actually "went to". There is no welfare culture n these countries at all. People look after themselves not the state playing nanny (a debate there for Scotland for sure). I would make a big deal to keep them out of council estates. They must not enter these places. They will make an "excellent" addition to Scotland. Let's get them in rented homes or hotels onto visas asap - and working. Let as many come as we can take. Mark my words do this and they will provide an example for us to follow. Slava Ukraini!