UK Cuts Homes for Ukraine Host Payments, Raising Fears Over Refugee Housing Security

LONDON: Ukrainian refugees living in the United Kingdom have expressed concern that planned reductions in financial support for hosts under the Homes for Ukraine programme could lead to the loss of accommodation for some beneficiaries.

Under changes announced by the UK government, monthly “thank you” payments to people hosting Ukrainian refugees will be reduced from £350 to £100 from January 1, 2027. Funding provided to local authorities for administering the programme will also be reduced, from £5,900 to £3,300 per arrival.

The Homes for Ukraine scheme was established following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. According to the reported figures, the programme has supported around 181,000 of the 234,000 Ukrainians who have sought refuge in the UK since the beginning of the conflict. The UK government has provided more than £1.81 billion in funding for the scheme to date.

The planned reduction has prompted concerns among some Ukrainian refugees who depend on host arrangements for stable accommodation. One elderly Ukrainian refugee, who has been hosted in the UK for more than two years, said the changes had created uncertainty about whether her host would be able to continue providing accommodation.

Other hosts have similarly raised concerns over the financial impact of the reduction. Some said the monthly payments had helped them meet the additional costs associated with hosting refugees, while stressing that they had initially volunteered to participate in the scheme to assist people fleeing the war.

The government has indicated that hosts may alternatively change their arrangements and become landlords, allowing them to charge refugees rent. However, some hosts and refugees have expressed concerns that such a shift could alter the nature of the scheme and make accommodation less secure for vulnerable Ukrainians.

The changes are scheduled to take effect from January 2027. The government has not indicated that the Homes for Ukraine programme itself will end, but the reduction in host and local-authority funding is expected to change how the scheme operates.

The development comes as Ukrainian refugees who remain unable to return home continue to rely on accommodation arrangements in the UK while assessing their longer-term housing and settlement options.