Backbench Business

The hon. Member agrees with the need to support Ukrainian refugees but draws attention to the ongoing issue of Afghan refugees who remain in hotels without proper accommodation, highlighting a broader concern for displaced people.

The hon. Gentleman commends Bob Blackman for securing the debate and highlights the generosity shown by his constituents in Northern Ireland who have provided homes for Ukrainian refugees, expressing pride in the UK's humanitarian efforts.

The hon. Member acknowledges the debate’s importance and points out that 1,210 Ukrainian households have presented as homeless in London alone due to high living costs. She supports targeted Government support especially for areas with higher living expenses.

Commends the hon. Member for Harrow East and agrees with many of his points regarding support for Ukrainians fleeing conflict. Criticises the Government's record on supporting refugees, highlighting that over 2,500 families are owed homelessness prevention or relief duty. Warns against Ukrainian refugees falling into homelessness due to short-term sponsorship schemes. Urges the Minister to do more to help Ukrainians secure homes, including allowing local authorities to act as guarantors for private rented accommodation. Emphasises the importance of close collaboration between central and local government in supporting Ukrainians. Raises concerns over funding cuts and inflation pressures on local councils assisting refugees. Calls for constant review and appropriate funding for local authority support of Ukrainian guests.

I congratulate the hon. Member for Harrow East on leading the debate and highlight Scotland's role in supporting Ukrainian refugees, including over 23,000 arrivals through the super sponsor scheme and £70 million allocated by the Scottish Government. I discuss issues with biometric residence permits delaying employment opportunities and suggest addressing empty properties to provide suitable long-term accommodation. I emphasise the need for sustained funding from the UK Government to local councils for support services and express concern over rising homelessness among Ukrainian refugees. Finally, I raise concerns about discriminatory practices in the rental market under the right to rent scheme.

Paying tribute to the hon. Member for Harrow East (Bob Blackman) and recognising the contributions of other Members, Paula Barker emphasised the moral obligation towards Ukrainian refugees and highlighted issues such as asylum hotels, biometric delays, landlords refusing rentals to refugees, and the need for a proper guarantor scheme. She criticised the Government's failure in delivering security and certainty to Ukrainian households, citing that 4,000 households were owed a homelessness prevention or relief duty, with many of these being families on the Homes for Ukraine scheme.

The Homes for Ukraine scheme has seen over 166,000 people arrive in the UK since its launch a year ago. The Government have committed £1.1 billion to councils through tariff funding and thank-you payments for hosts. Additionally, there is an additional £150 million fund specifically for homelessness among Ukrainians.

The Minister should be proud of the schemes that have been set up to support Ukrainian refugees, but warns that the threat of homelessness among these individuals is growing. He urges immediate action to prevent this issue from becoming a major problem.