Changes could add £30 million to Scotland’s economy annually
Allowing asylum seekers the right to work could help them settle into communities better while boosting Scotland’s economy and workforce.
Research by the Scottish Government’s independent Expert Advisory Group on Migration and Population sets out how enabling asylum seekers to gain employment could improve health and wellbeing and reduce the risk of exploitation.
Changes could also benefit the Scottish economy, help fill gaps in the workforce and see increased council tax paid directly to local authorities which host asylum seekers.
The report will underpin the development of proposals for a Scottish Asylum Right to Work pilot, to be submitted for consideration to the Home Office in 2024.
Migration Minister Emma Roddick said: “Scotland provides a welcoming home to many people seeking asylum, with policies underpinned by dignity, respect and compassion.
“This independent report shows how enabling asylum seekers to find work could reduce anxiety and improve the wellbeing of vulnerable people, while supporting Scotland’s economy by helping fill skills shortages and addressing population challenges.
“As the UK Government continues to pursue repugnant policies on asylum and immigration, we are developing mitigations as far as possible within our devolved powers and budget, including through our New Scots refugee integration strategy.
“The Scottish Government will now use this report to design a proposal to work within the current devolution settlement, but only independence would give us power to implement a full Scottish asylum system rooted in respect for human rights.”
Chair of the Scottish Government’s independent Expert Advisory Group on Migration and Population Rebecca Kay said: “Our report shows strong international evidence that strict restrictions on the right to work have negative consequences for asylum seekers’ material and emotional well-being, and for long-term integration outcomes.
“We also find substantial evidence of the considerable barriers which people seeking asylum are likely to face on entering the labour force. These will require careful consideration by Scottish Government, and deliberate remedy, when designing a pilot proposal.
“Wider measures to provide adequate reception, settlement and integration services will be required in order to realise the full benefits of a right to work policy for asylum seekers.”
Steps to provide displaced people with accommodation stability
Ukrainian people seeking refuge from the war will be supported to access longer term housing, under plans to further reduce the number of displaced people in Scotland living in temporary welcome accommodation.
From Thursday 7 December, Ukrainians arriving in Scotland for the first time through the Super Sponsor scheme and entering welcome accommodation will be supported by local authorities to identify two longer term accommodation options. Temporary welcome accommodation will be available for a maximum of six months, but may be extended in certain circumstances.
Ukrainians who are already in welcome accommodation will also be supported to find two longer term accommodation options. Where a displaced person chooses to make their own accommodation arrangements after six months and has declined offers, a maximum of 60 additional days in welcome accommodation will be permitted to allow them to safely move on.
From January, displaced people who have previously stayed in welcome accommodation and have left for an extended period will not be able to return in most cases, but will be offered help and advice to identify alternative housing options.
Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “Over 26,000 people from Ukraine have arrived in the UK with a Scottish sponsor, more than 20,500 of them through our Super Sponsor scheme.
“Our welcome accommodation ensures that we can offer everyone who needs it an initial safe place to stay. However, we do not want people to spend longer than necessary without a settled place to call home.
“Thanks to our close working with local authorities and the third sector, the number of Ukrainians living in welcome accommodation has more than halved over the past year. These next steps will help us support even more people to find safe, settled accommodation for the longer term. This will provide much-needed stability, helping them set down roots and make the most of local opportunities.
“We will work with local authorities and COSLA to help meet the needs of individuals and families – helping those who need additional support and considering affordability, employment and education. Many Ukrainians choose to make their own accommodation arrangements and the resettlement and housing teams in our local authorities can also support this.”
COSLA Community Wellbeing Spokesperson, Councillor Maureen Chalmers said: “Since Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, Scottish Local Government has worked in strong partnership with Scottish Government, third sector colleagues and the Ukrainian community to support displaced people seek refuge and safety in Scotland.
“Throughout this period, we have seen an exceptional level of public support. This has included thousands of people offering rooms in their homes to support hosting arrangements; a flourishing network of community and third sector activity to welcome Ukrainian households into local neighbourhoods; and support from colleagues across public services to ensure that guests have access to vital services which support resettlement and integration.
“This announcement is the next step in ensuring Ukrainian households who have arrived in Scotland have access to a home which meets their needs. Prolonged stays in welcome accommodation are unable to support the long-term integration needs of displaced people.
“Local Government is committed to supporting displaced households settle into longer term accommodation and integrate into local communities to ensure they benefit from the enhanced wellbeing that this brings.”
Minister says councils must have UK Government support
Migration and Refugees Minister Emma Roddick has urged the UK Government to provide financial support for local authorities as it presses ahead with plans to close asylum hotels.
In a letter to Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick, Ms Roddick welcomed measures to end the inappropriate use of hotels to accommodate people seeking asylum along with UK Government measures to tackle the backlog in asylum decisions.
However, she said the move was placing further pressure on local services and called for increased funding to enable councils to meet the needs of refugees when they receive a positive asylum decision.
Ms Roddick said: “The Scottish Government has long been clear in our view that hotels are not appropriate accommodation for people seeking asylum.
“While I welcome your recognition that the asylum decision backlog must be tackled, I want to make clear that it is completely unacceptable and reckless for the UK Government to shift a significant burden onto local authorities without providing financial support.
“The UK Government must provide funding to local authorities and work constructively with them to ensure that people receiving a positive asylum decision are supported to move-on from asylum accommodation, without creating unmanageable pressure on housing and homelessness services over a short space of time.
“It is UK Government mismanagement of asylum decision making which has created the backlog and the consequences of that cannot be passed to local authorities without any support to manage them.
“I request urgent provision of funding to local authorities to support move-on associated with the backlog clearance.”
Next steps to help displaced people rebuild their lives
A new strategy will help Ukrainians living in Scotland to settle into communities and gain longer term housing.
Developed by the Scottish Government in collaboration with the Scottish Refugee Council and COSLA, the Warm Scots Future paper sets out priorities for the next phase of Scotland’s Ukraine response to support those fleeing the conflict to rebuild their lives here.
These include reducing the use of temporary accommodation, boosting access to settled housing, and keeping human rights at the heart of all integration efforts.
To support these priorities, more than £1.5 million is being made available to third sector organisations to benefit Ukrainians.
Local authorities will also receive £3.2 million to support staffing of resettlement teams. This is alongside £30 million being distributed to councils to support Ukrainians into sustainable housing, including through private and social renting.
Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville launched the plan at an arts and wellbeing event at the Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain’s (AUGB) Edinburgh hub.
Ms Somerville said: “Scotland acted swiftly to provide an immediate place of safety to Ukrainians following the illegal Russian invasion. We have offered sanctuary to more than 25,500 people since the war outbreak.
“Many of those arrivals have now started to rebuild their lives in Scotland – gaining employment, enrolling children in schools, and settling into communities. As we look to the future, it is right that our approach to supporting Ukrainians reflects these changing circumstances.
“This paper sets out the steps we and our partners will take to help Ukrainians continue to settle into life in Scotland for the longer term. Working closely with charities and local authorities, this will include support for integration – from English lessons, to employment support, to accessing mental health services – and help even more people into settled housing.
“We are clear that we want Scotland to be home for every Ukrainian living here for as long as they need it to be; and this includes a need to establish clear routes to settlement in Scotland for those who wish to stay here. We will also continue to press the UK Government for much-needed clarity on options available for people displaced from Ukraine when the three-year visa period ends.”
Chief Executive of Scottish Refugee Council Sabir Zazai said: “The illegal invasion of Ukraine reminds us how quickly and devastatingly any of our lives can change. It underlines the lifesaving importance of providing refugee protection in an era of mass conflict and global instability.
“At Scottish Refugee Council we’re proud to have played a part in supporting people through this emergency, and we’ll continue to be there for people from Ukraine to do all we can to support them through the process of rebuilding their lives here.”
COSLA Community Wellbeing spokesperson Councillor Maureen Chalmers said:“I cannot underestimate the tremendous effort it has taken Councils and all partners to ensure that our Ukrainian guests have found a safe and welcoming place to stay in Scotland.
“The publication of the Warm Scots Future paper represents the start of a conversation on how we can move from an emergency response to a long term and more sustainable approach to resettlement.”
Ukrainian Consul Andrii Kuslii said:“By offering comprehensive assistance, Scotland stands unwaveringly with the people of Ukraine, extending a message of hope and unity.
“The actions of the Scottish Government and its partners not only provide immediate relief but also send a powerful message to the world about the importance of coming together to support and protect vulnerable populations during times of Russia’s war against Ukraine.”
SPRINGBOARD RUNS DESTINATION HOSPITALITY PROGRAMME TO SUPPORT EMPLOYMENT
Refugees from the Ukraine have successfully found work in Edinburgh hotels after completing the Destination Hospitality Programme to advance employment skills and help people into jobs in the UK hospitality industry.
Nine individuals fled the war and were enrolled onto the programme, run in Edinburgh by Springboard, a charity set up to support people – and particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds – find employment in hospitality.
The employability course was funded by Solidarity Accor, Accor’s long-established endowment fund created to fight economic and social exclusion, and was run in partnership with Accor.
Olga, who left the Ukraine with her children, has secured a role as a receptionist at ibis South Bridge, shares: “I was amazed by the willingness to help, involvement and flexibility of all Springboard team members.
“They were ready to find additional placement after learning that the biggest part of our group didn’t have normal access to the internet in our accommodation. They were ready to rebuild and customize some days of the program to respond to the group’s needs. Moreover, they helped me not to forget who I am.
“The Springboard charity course gave me an opportunity to understand the standards of the UK customer service and hospitality working approaches which are a little different from Ukrainian ones.
“Being a stranger in a new country, it’s necessary to understand local rules, and business habits and build professional connections. Springboard’s mentors helped me a lot not only with studying modules but with advice and psychological support.”
Maryna, a single mother who fled the war in the Ukraine to find shelter for herself and daughter in Scotland, is now successfully working as an F&B Assistant at the ibis Edinburgh Centre, South Bridge.
Commenting on the programme, she expalined: “I learned to work in a team and I have become more confident. I learned many differences in working with clients in my country, Ukraine and Scotland.
“Given that I am a refugee from Ukraine, I would like to be useful for the country which provided us with shelter. Eventually, I would like to return to Ukraine and bring the knowledge I received here to my home country.”
The Destination Hospitality programme was a three-week programme consisting of in-person and online training and engagement to help to develop soft skills and industry-specific knowledge/qualifications, culminating in a one-week work placement.
The programme offered work placements in several Accor hotels in Edinburgh including Novotel Edinburgh Centre, Lauriston Place; ibis Edinburgh Centre, South Bridge; and ibis Edinburgh, Royal Mile.
Fran Carr, Talent & Culture Director, Accor UKI, commented: “Accor, our hotel teams and Solidarity Accor are proud to work with partners like Springboard to create a brighter future for those who deserve it.
“It is our duty to support those impacted by economic and social exclusion, and why programmes like this are so important. I’m excited to hear of the ongoing success these new recruits achieve.”
Chris Gamm, CEO, Springboard, commented: “It was a huge honour to work with this highly capable and enthusiastic cohort of candidates.
“The hospitality industry desperately needs great people and each individual brought a unique skill set to the table, along with a desire to learn and a real drive to get back to work.
Having experienced a huge upheaval in their lives and been forced to leave everything, including their careers, behind, it is admirable to see this resilience in action.”
Laws include legal duty on the Home Secretary to remove anyone who enters the UK illegally
Earlier this year the Prime Minister made stopping the boats one of his 5 promises to the British people. The ‘Stop the Boats’ – or Illegal Migration – Bill will fulfil that promise by ending illegal entry as a route to asylum in the UK.
This will remove the incentive for people to risk their lives through these dangerous and unnecessary journeys and pull the rug from under the criminal gangs profiting from this misery once and for all.
People who arrive in the UK illegally will instead be detained and swiftly removed to their home country if safe, or another safe third country, such as Rwanda, where they will be supported to rebuild their lives.
Anyone illegally entering the UK will be prevented from accessing the UK’s world-leading modern slavery support or abusing these laws to block their removal. Any other challenges or human rights claims can also only be heard after removal, remotely.
By ending illegal immigration as a route to asylum, stopping the boats and taking back control of our borders the Bill will ensure the UK can better support people coming through fair, safe and legal routes.
The UK will always be a compassionate country, as demonstrated by the nation opening its hearts and homes to those from fleeing from Afghanistan and Ukraine, and under this Bill, Parliament will set an annual cap on the number of refugees settled via safe and legal routes, taking into account local authority capacity for housing, public services and the support communities rightly expect.
Home Secretary Suella Braverman said: “The British people rightly expect us to solve this crisis and that’s what myself and the Prime Minister fully intend to do. We must stop the boats.
“It is completely unfair that people who travel through a string of safe countries then come to the UK illegally and abuse our asylum laws to avoid removal.
“It has to stop. By bringing in new laws, I am making it absolutely clear that the only route to the UK is a safe and legal route. If you come here illegally, you won’t be able to claim asylum or build a life here.
“You will not be allowed to stay. You will be returned home if safe, or to a safe third country like Rwanda. It’s the only way to prevent people risking their lives and paying criminals thousands of pounds to get here.”
The Bill, introduced to Parliament yesterday (7 March 2023), will mean anyone who enters the UK illegally and who has passed through a safe country will be legally required to be removed and the Home Secretary will have the power to enforce it.
Migrants may be detained for 28 days with no recourse for bail or judicial review, and then for as long as there is a reasonable prospect of removal.
In exceptional circumstances if there is a risk that someone would suffer a real risk of serious and irreversible harm when they are relocated to that specific safe third country, they would not be removed until it was safe to do so. Even in these cases you will have a maximum 45 days to remain in the UK before your appeal is exhausted.
The annual number settled via safe and legal routes will be kept under review, and if there is a humanitarian crisis within the world that requires a response, then the UK will step up and offer sanctuary to those in need, as we have done for tens of thousands of Ukrainians and Afghans.
The Bill forms part of the action the UK Government is taking to stop small boat crossings and illegal migration as a whole. This includes:
an agreement with Albania that recognises their status as a safe country
a new dedicated unit to speed up the processing of Albanian cases – since the announcement in December we have returned over 3000 illegal migrants, including over 500 Albanians
ending the legacy backlog of asylum claims by the end of 2023 – we have already doubled decision makers and we will double the number again and we are changing the system to make it more productive
reducing the use of hotels, with the government currently spending £6.2 million a day, by moving asylum seekers to cheaper alternative accommodation
established the Small Boats Operational Command in December, enabling us from January to protect the resources of our Immigration Enforcement teams – as a direct result of this change, we have been able to significantly increase the numbers of immigration enforcement visits undertaken, deliver a 50% uplift in enforcement visits per month and have seen a corresponding increase in arrests
doubling the funding for Operation Invigor, which brings together the NCA, Home Office Intelligence and UK policing to disrupt organised crime groups who are smuggling people from source countries to the beaches of northern France
our joint work with France saw nearly 33,000 Channel crossings prevented in 2022, compared to just over 23,000 in 2021 – since the UK-France Joint Intelligence Cell (JIC) was established in July 2020, 59 organised criminal groups involved in small boats crossings
clamping down on people smugglers, with over 350 arrests made since the Nationality and Borders Act became law
welcoming current collaboration with the French to tackle illegal migration, which includes agreeing further action at the UK/FR Leaders’ Summit
Summary of Bill measures:
Duty to make arrangements for removal – the Home Secretary will have a legal duty to remove people who have entered the UK illegally.
Detention and bail – strengthening detention powers so people can only apply for bail from the Courts (First-tier Tribunal) after 28 days (although habeus corpus will remain).
Unaccompanied children – minors who come to the UK illegally will not be removed to a safe third country until adulthood, except in limited circumstances.
Entry, citizenship and settlement – people who come to the UK illegally will be prevented from settling in the country and will face a permanent ban from returning.
Asylum – people who come here illegally will have their asylum claims deemed inadmissible and considered in a safe third country.
Modern slavery – modern slavery referrals for those who come to the UK illegally will be disqualified under public order grounds under the terms of the international anti-trafficking treaty, ECAT.
Legal proceedings – limiting the circumstances in which legal challenges will prevent someone from being removed from the UK. Most legal challenges will be considered when someone has been successfully removed from the UK.
Expanding the list of countries that are considered safe in law – this will make it unquestionably clear when someone doesn’t need our protection because they are obviously not at risk of persecution in their home country.
Annual number of people using safe and legal routes – committing to resettling a specific number of refugees in the UK every year.
Today we are introducing new legislation to keep my promise to you – to stop the boats.
My policy is very simple, it is this country—and your government—who should decide who comes here, not criminal gangs.
The first step is understanding the nature—and scale—of what we are dealing with.
The number of people entering the UK illegally in small boats has more than quadrupled in the last two years.
Those illegally crossing the Channel are not directly fleeing a war-torn country… or persecution… or an imminent threat to life.
They have travelled through safe, European countries.
They are paying people smugglers huge sums to make this dangerous, and sometimes tragic, journey.
The reason that criminal gangs continue to bring small boats over here is because they know that our system can be exploited…
….that once here…illegal migrants can make a multitude of asylum, modern slavery and spurious human rights claims to frustrate their removal.
And the risk remains that those individuals just disappear into the black economy.
That is the reality we must deal with…
And with 100 million people displaced around the world…
….if we do not deal with it now, the situation will just get worse and worse.
People must know that if they come here illegally it will result in their detention and swift removal.
Once this happens – and they know it will happen – they will not come, and the boats will stop.
That is why today we are introducing legislation to make clear that if you come here illegally you can’t claim asylum…
…you can’t benefit from our modern slavery protections…
….you can’t make spurious human rights claims
…and you can’t stay.
We will detain those who come here illegally and then remove them in weeks, either to their own country if it is safe to do so, or to a safe third country like Rwanda.
And once you are removed, you will be banned—as you are in America and Australia—from ever re-entering our country.
This is how we will break the business model of the people smugglers; this is how we will take back control of our borders.
Now, this Bill provides the legal framework needed to deliver this in a way that no other legislation has done before.
This is tough but it is necessary and it is fair.
This legislation will be retrospective.
If you come on a small boat today, the measures in this bill will apply to you.
And this is just part of what we are doing.
I’ve always been clear this is a complex problem that can’t be solved overnight and will require us to use every tool at our disposal.
That’s why I’ve already secured the largest ever small boats deal with France.
And patrols on French beaches are already up 40 per cent.
I also promised progress on enforcement and we’ve increased raids on illegal working by 50 per cent.
I’ve also negotiated a new deal with Albania, which accounted for a third of all small boats arrivals.
And that’s already delivering. We’ve returned 500 illegal migrants to Albania and we are seeing far fewer come as a result.
This shows that there is nothing inevitable about illegal migration.
Deterrence works, and with will and determination, the government can get on top of it—and we will.
Now, this will always be a compassionate and generous country.
It is something that we’re all rightly proud of.
Just look at how we have welcomed Ukrainians, Syrians from refugee camps, and embraced Hong Kongers fleeing the Chinese clampdown.
But the current situation is neither moral nor sustainable. It cannot go on.
It’s completely unfair on the British people…
….who have opened their homes to genuine refugees…
….but are now having to spend nearly £6 million a day to put up illegal migrants in hotels.
It’s unfair on the people who have come to this country legally to see others skipping the queue.
And it’s devastatingly unfair on those who most need our help but can’t get it as our asylum system is being overwhelmed by those travelling illegally across the Channel.
If we can’t stop the boats, our ability to help genuine refugees in future will be constrained.
Full control of our borders will allow us to decide who to help, and to provide safe and legal routes for those most in need.
I understand there will be debate about the toughness of these measures… all I can say is that we have tried it every other way… and it has not worked.
So I say again: my policy is very simple, it is this country—and your government—who should decide who comes here, not criminal gangs.
And I will do whatever is necessary to achieve that.
Government intervention sees tens of thousands of Ukrainian refugees’ access banking services in the UK
Basic bank accounts offer fee-free accounts allowing users to send and receive money, helping people to build their lives here
News falls one-year since Russia’s illegal and barbaric invasion of Ukraine as UK government confirms its support will not waiver
TENS OF THOUSANDS of Ukrainian refugees have been able to access banking services in the UK thanks to government action, data released today shows.
Basic bank accounts, which the nine largest UK lenders have been required to provide since 2014, allow people with a limited credit history to access and carry out everyday banking, widening people’s access to the financial system and the wider economy. The accounts do not offer overdrafts, ensuring people do not get into unaffordable debt.
A year on since Putin’s barbaric invasion of Ukraine, the UK has granted more than 215,000 visas to refugees of the war, under our Homes for Ukraine and Ukraine Family Schemes
Following the invasion, the government brought together UK basic bank account providers, ensuring fast action was taken to remove the barriers to opening UK bank accounts faced by Ukrainian nationals, such as the lack of a conventional ID.
This has already helped more than 70,000 people to build their lives more easily in the UK by enabling them to receive their income, send money, and pay for goods.
Economic Secretary to the Treasury, Andrew Griffith said: “We will continue to help as many Ukrainian refugees as possible access the banking services they need to build a life here – and I’d like to thank UK banks and building societies for their support to date.
“A year on from the invasion, Putin should be left in no doubt that the West will not waiver in its support for Ukraine and its people.”
The UK government has been working with its international allies to punish Putin and his cronies for their illegal invasion of Ukraine, while supporting the Ukrainian people and its government.
This includes sanctioning more than 1,200 individuals and 120 entities, including striking the heart of the Kremlin by sanctioning Putin himself, along with his closest associates.
The UK has also committed £4.6 billion of military support by the end of 2023, supplying 10,000 anti-tank missiles, almost 200 armoured vehicles, 2,600 anti-structure munitions, and almost 100,000 rounds of artillery.
And we are also a leading bilateral humanitarian donor, having committed £220 million in assistance.
Additional funding has been secured to support work to integrate refugees across Scotland.The £1.6 million in funding will focus on the development of a refreshed New Scots Refugee Integration Strategy, ensuring refugees and asylum seekers are supported to make their new communities their home.
Further projects to receive funding include:
small grants to enable wide-scale public engagement across Scotland for the refreshed New Scots Refugee Integration Strategy. This will enable organisations to host engagement events for existing and recently arrived New Scots and ensure barriers to attendance are minimised, including travel and childcare
the extension of University of Glasgow’s international research into New Scots integration for Afghan and Ukrainian Nationals, focussing on efforts made by the Scottish Government, local authorities and the third sector to support integration
Refugee Festival Scotland – a focal point and celebration of all New Scots in Scotland. This will include providing small grants to organisations to enable them to host events as part of the Festival
£500,000 in targeted funding for two of the highest priority areas: ESOL and Employability. The arrival of people from Afghanistan and Ukraine has reinforced the critical importance of employment in allowing all New Scots to rebuild their lives safely and securely thereby reducing the risk of poverty
External Affairs Secretary Angus Robertson said: “Scotland has a long history of welcoming people of all nationalities and faiths, including those seeking refuge from war and persecution.
“While continuing to support all refugees and people seeking asylum, in recent years we have seen two large scale resettlement efforts from Afghanistan and Ukraine, with over 20,000 displaced people from Ukraine alone arriving in Scotland since February 2022 and we have had to move quickly to get people the support they need to settle into their new communities.
“The Scottish Government and our New Scots partners are committed to supporting the integration of refugees and people seeking asylum into our communities and providing the safety and security they need as they begin to rebuild their lives.
“Our compassionate approach to support refugees and people seeking asylum living in Scotland is clear and this vital funding will ensure work can continue to refresh the New Scots strategy to take account of the significant changes in recent years and ensure any key learning is reflected.”
COSLA Community and Wellbeing Spokesperson Councillor Maureen Chalmers said: ““COSLA is really pleased to continue to work with partners to build on the previous work of the New Scots Refugee Integration Delivery Project, to ensure there is a robust and responsive strategy to support all communities seeking protection in Scotland. Local authorities play a key role in integration and supporting their communities, including refugees and asylum seekers.
“This funding therefore gives a much needed boost to integration work and in particular the areas of employment and language, as well as supporting the development of the next New Scots Strategy.”
Scottish Refugee Council CEO Sabir Zazi said: “Successful, well integrated communities need support, both for the individuals seeking safety in Scotland and the local areas receiving them.
“We’re particularly pleased to see funding in place to boost English language support and to help people back into employment. These are two areas that are crucial to integration, both for the individuals and families affected and the communities receiving them.”
UNESCO Chair for Refugee Integration through Languages and the Arts at the University of Glasgow Alison Phipps said: “At this critical time for those who have sought refuge and asylum in Scotland the successful securing of extended funds for ESOL and Employability projects is greatly needed.
“This builds on the success of the New Scots Refugee Integration Strategy as a world leading internationally acclaimed partnership, built on human rights that allows us to make confident steps towards the launch, by the New Scots Partnership, of a refreshed New Scots strategy.”
People across Scotland are being asked to consider if they could open their homes to displaced people from Ukraine as part of a new campaign to find new hosts.
The campaign aims to increase the supply of volunteer hosts across the country for people who are currently in short-term welcome accommodation. A new webpage has been set up to provide prospective volunteers with clear information on the application process and what is expected should they be matched with a displaced person from Ukraine already in Scotland.
Hosts will register their details online which will then be sent to their local authority, where checks are undertaken to ensure that homes offered are suitable to host displaced people from Ukraine.
Minister with Special Responsibility for Refugees from Ukraine Neil Gray said: ““I’m so proud of the warm welcome the people of Scotland have given to those fleeing the war in Ukraine.
“We have welcomed so many people through our Super Sponsor Scheme who would otherwise not have been able to travel. We don’t want people to spend any more time than necessary in temporary accommodation and we are keen to match people with hosts as soon as we can.
“We need more hosts and that’s why we’ve launched this campaign. We know that being a host is a big commitment so we have set out exactly what will be expected so people can make an informed choice before providing their details.
“The most successful arrangements happen when both the needs of hosts and Ukrainians align. Many people may prefer to live in areas close to amenities and services, or close to pre-existing Ukrainian communities. In addition, volunteer hosts will have their own preferences and may not have space for larger family sizes or complex group compositions.
“Matching takes time and considerable input. This is why we have increased resources to our local authorities to boost the process.
“I’m extremely grateful to people who are already hosting, as well as those who have already put their details forward and are still waiting to be matched. Rest assured your generous offer is under consideration and your local authority will be in touch. Anyone who has already provided us with their details, will not need to do so again.”
Simon Tyas MBE from Scot Hosts said: ““We are pleased to support this campaign, which is very much needed. Over the past nine months, Scot Hosts been working with hosts (through the Facebook group Scotland Ukraine Host Support Group) and Ukrainian families across Scotland to try and ensure that they have a positive and effective time during their time together in Scotland.
“We’ve created a support network where hosts can share positive and negative experiences, and we stand ready to welcome new hosts who are willing and able to offer their homes.”
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has led to nearly one third of Ukrainians being displaced from their homes. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees estimates that more than 7.6 million Ukrainians had been displaced across Europe.
The Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe) has taken a closer look at Scotland’s Homes for Ukraine Scheme, six months after it was introduced.
The Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe) has taken a closer look at Scotland’s Homes for Ukraine Scheme, six months after it was introduced.