Government decision puts long-term housing stability at risk
Around 28,000 Ukrainian refugees—mostly women and children—are at risk of losing their homes in Scotland after the UK government ended monthly payments to hosts under the Homes for Ukraine scheme. The move, reported by Daily Mail through its coverage of the situation for those housed in Scotland after fleeing the war, has raised fears that thousands of British families may stop accommodating displaced Ukrainians. Payments were originally set at £500 a month before being reduced to £350, but the new Labour government has now withdrawn the support entirely.
Pressure on hosts and mounting uncertainty for refugees
Scottish Conservatives called the termination of the scheme “heartless” and “short-sighted”, warning that withdrawing the allowance removes a key incentive for hosts who already face rising living and energy costs. The Scottish government said it is pressing London to reinstate funding, arguing that many families relied on the support to offer accommodation during a period of war-driven displacement. For thousands of Ukrainian households, access to safe and stable housing in Scotland had become a lifeline after fleeing relentless Russian missile attacks that made staying at home impossible.
Ukrainian refugees, many of them mothers with young children, frequently struggled to find work quickly due to language barriers, professional accreditation hurdles, childcare responsibilities and limited local support networks. Without the host payments, many could be left without affordable options in a tight housing market and may face the prospect of homelessness.
Visa schemes narrowing as the war continues
The Ukraine Family Scheme launched in March 2022, offering three-year visas to those with relatives legally residing in the UK, closed in February 2024. The Homes for Ukraine scheme remains active, but visa duration was shortened to 18 months. An additional programme, the Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme, allowed eligible refugees to extend their visas for another 18 months, though the future of many families remains unclear once these periods expire.
Despite government assurances that support for Ukrainians “remains unchanged”, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has reiterated that the payments were always intended to last 18 months and that refugees were expected to secure independent accommodation within that time. Refugee-support groups warn that the abrupt withdrawal of funding could undermine the UK’s broader humanitarian commitments, placing at particular risk people with no stable income and families with young children.
Humanitarian obligations and broader implications
Advocacy organisations argue that assistance should continue as long as Russia’s war against Ukraine persists, noting that returning home is not a safe option and that housing support in the UK remains a matter of security rather than convenience for those fleeing the conflict. Ending the payments, they say, could fracture the host network built during the early stages of the war and trigger a housing crisis across Scotland for tens of thousands of displaced people.
