Ukrainian refugees at risk of homelessness and exploitation in UK, report finds

Thousands of Ukrainian refugees who fled to the UK seeking sanctuary after Russia’s invasion have been placed at risk of homelessness and exploitation in the UK, according to the British Red Cross.

A report by the humanitarian organisation found that while overall the UK government’s schemes provided a lifeline to families seeking sanctuary, some Ukrainians faced weaknesses in safeguarding procedures and a lack of sufficient training and ongoing support for hosts.

Related: ’There’s nowhere else for them to go’: what next for 100,000 Ukrainians and the Britons who took them in?

Since the start of the Homes for Ukraine scheme in 2022, more than 9,000 out of about 200,000 families accommodated in the UK have been placed at risk of homelessness. This is often due to a breakdown of relationships with host families and difficulties in accessing the private housing market .

Ukrainians were found to be four times as likely as the general population to experience homelessness. Between February and mid-June 2024 there was a weekly average of 379 new arrivals from Ukraine.

Two ships used in Glasgow and Edinburgh to accommodate a total of 2,465 people between July 2022 and July 2023 were criticised for unsuitability due to lack of cooking facilities and an inability to accommodate the Ukrainians’ guests.

Some particularly concerning examples identified in the British Red Cross report, titled Finding a Safe Home, include:

• One Ukrainian woman who applied to all 65 housing associations in Glasgow before finding somewhere to live.

• Some people who were made homeless at short notice by host families and who slept rough. One woman was asked to leave at midnight and slept on a beach with her belongings.

• One woman who was offered accommodation online that, on inspection by a voluntary organisation, had been set up for sexual exploitation with a lock on the outside of the door and video cameras in the bedroom.

• One woman who lived in six different places in the space of two years, returned to Ukraine when she couldn’t find accommodation here, and then came back to the UK when the war escalated.

• One family taking part in the family hosting scheme who had three generations of people sharing one bed.

The Red Cross is calling for better safeguarding arrangements for accommodation schemes, and for the government to build on positive practice from the Ukraine accommodation schemes and apply lessons learned to future refugee resettlement schemes.

The report also calls for more help for displaced people to access the private rented sector, an increase in affordable housing, and a national integration strategy that promotes more equal support for all displaced people.

Related: Concern for health of Ukrainians aboard Scotland’s ‘floating refugee camps’

Sal Copley, the executive director of communications and external affairs at the British Red Cross, said: “Over two years ago people in Ukraine had their lives turned upside down. They needed our support and compassion, and the UK became a place of safety for many thousands.

“However, that safety has not always offered the stability people need to rebuild their lives. Too many families have ended up sleeping rough or living in places where they have felt unsafe. This has had a damaging impact on mental health and wellbeing. We need to improve the support available for Ukrainians here in the UK and learn from the Ukraine schemes so we can create more effective safe routes in the future.”

A government spokesperson said: “The UK’s support for Ukraine is ironclad. Homes for Ukraine provides an important route for people seeking sanctuary. We will carefully consider the deeply concerning report and its findings.”