Risks of exploitation: Red Cross calls for better protection mechanisms for Ukrainians in Great Britain
Kyiv • UNN
Thousands of Ukrainian refugees in the UK are at risk of homelessness and exploitation due to shortcomings in security and support procedures, according to a report by the British Red Cross.
Thousands of Ukrainian refugees seeking asylum in Britain after the full-mass invasion of the Russian Federation are at risk of homelessness and exploitation. UNN writes with reference to The Guardian.
Details
Ukrainian refugees are at risk in the UK - there is a problem of homelessness and exploitation. This is stated in a report released by the British Red Cross.
On the one hand, there is the fact that the UK government provides rescues for asylum seeking families. However, some Ukrainians have experienced shortcomings in security procedures; lack of sufficient training and support from the host country.
According to the report, more than 9,000 of the estimated 200,000 families housed in the UK will be at risk of homelessness in 2022. This is often due to broken relationships with host families and difficulties in accessing the private housing market.
An important finding: Ukrainians are four times more likely than the general population of Britain to be homeless. From February 2022 to mid-June 2024, an average of 379 people per week came from Ukraine.
Two ships used in Glasgow and Edinburgh to accommodate 2,465 people between July 2022 and July 2023 have been criticized for being unsuitable due to the lack of kitchen facilities and the inability to accommodate Ukrainian guests. - The Guardian writes.
Disturbing examples of the Seeking a Safe Home report include the following examples:
One Ukrainian woman who applied to all 65 housing associations in Glasgow before finding accommodation .... One family who participated in a family accommodation program where three generations of people shared one bed ... Some people who were made homeless by host families at short notice were sleeping on the street. One woman was asked to leave at midnight and slept on the beach with her belongings
The Red Cross calls for better protection mechanisms for accommodation schemes, and for the government to build on the good practice of refugee accommodation schemes.
The report also calls for more assistance to displaced people.
Supplement
British government spokesman: “The UK's support for Ukraine is ironclad. The Homes for Ukraine organization provides an important route for people seeking asylum. We will carefully consider the deeply disturbing report and its findings.
