Could we be doing more for Ukrainian refugees?

On the morning of the 24th of February 2022 Russia invaded Ukraine, to international shock. As of December 2022, the UN recorded that there have been 6,828 civilian deaths, with a further 10,760 injured. Since the invasion, displaced people have become refugees mostly in Europe, but also in countries such as the USA and Canada.

Many countries felt unprepared for this sudden influx of refugees (although the war has been almost inevitable for years, not least because of Russia’s invasion of Crimea in 2014), and as such they all reacted in different ways. Poland was on the front line as a bordering country to Ukraine: in the first few weeks of war more than 8 million people already arrived in the country.

In response, the UK government launched several schemes, to try and help the people affected. First was the Ukraine Extensions System (3rd May), allowing Ukrainians on temporary visas to extend their current visa by 3 years. The second, the Ukraine Family Scheme (4th May), was for people who wanted to leave Ukraine who had a family already living in the UK. Finally, was the Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme, or Homes for Ukraine, which allowed any Ukrainian citizen to come to the UK if they had a sponsor already living within the country. These refugees were also given a Biometric Residence Permit for three years; however, their sponsors were only obligated to accommodate Ukrainians in their homes for 6 months.

As of mid-August, 81,700 Ukrainian citizens had arrived in the UK under the Homes for Ukraine Scheme, and a further 33,500 under the Ukrainian Family Scheme. This is in addition to the 38,000 Ukrainian-born residents in the UK in 2019. It is clear to see that the UK has welcomed many Ukrainian citizens over the last year.

It has been no secret that this is the biggest intake of refugees to the UK since 1945 and the Kindertransport, but Russia’s invasion is not by any means the first war to take place since the Second World War. Critics of the government have been condemning these policies and schemes as they could have been put in place for other refugees, for example during the Syrian Refugee Crisis of 2015, or the many people affected by conflicts throughout the world, for example in Ethiopia, Afghanistan, or Iran.

In addition, there were reports of a hugely disproportionate number of people living in Ukraine who were people of colour, including those on student visas who could not escape the country as quickly as their white counterparts. Both these aspects have led to countries in western Europe being accused of racism, and prioritising people who they can directly relate to, therefore implying that these actions are, whilst morally ‘good’ not altogether consistent.

It is also important to compare the UK’s actions with those of other countries, most significantly those in the EU and others bordering Ukraine. These nations, most noticeably Poland and Romania, experienced huge surges of refugees that they could not manage to keep within their country. The original scheme for EU temporary protection did not require a visa – the UK’s scheme did. The infamous visa delay caused would-be sponsors to stage protests outside the Houses of Parliament last May.

In addition, as the original 6-month period has ended for many refugees, along with the cost of living increasing, sponsors in the UK are finding it less and less feasible for their Ukrainian guests to stay with them long-term. Last November, 2,175 Ukrainians were forced to register as homeless, and this figure is only going to increase as the war continues. The government has stated that these refugees will be eligible for housing and universal credit. However, approximately 4 million people already live in social housing in England, so these people have only further exacerbated the housing crisis at no fault of their own. This therefore implies that the actions of the UK are not sustainable long-term.

Overall, it is possible to argue that the UK has coped well with the crisis, as the 100,000 people who have been welcomed into the country show. However, as the war continues and the death toll steadily rises, the pressure on the government to house and care for Ukrainians decreases. People have pointed out how the cost of living crisis is it harder for sponsors to continue to house Ukrainians. Therefore, it is possible that the real challenge to the UK Government and Ukrainian refugees will be to see what happens in the coming months as Putin continues to wage his war that impacts the rest of Europe and the world.