The Scottish government has declined to provide £10 million (approximately $12.7 million) to local councils to cover the costs of temporary housing for Ukrainian refugees.
This decision might lead to the withdrawal of staff from hotels currently accommodating these refugees at government expense.
Labour MSP Mark Griffin criticized this move, suggesting it could be seen as a betrayal by the Scottish National Party (SNP), especially given their professed support for Ukraine.
Edinburgh Council’s deputy leader Mandy Watt expressed concerns that this funding withdrawal for the 2023/24 period could adversely affect the overall support program for refugees.
Since the program’s inception, over 20,000 Ukrainian refugees have arrived in the UK through Scotland’s “super sponsorship” scheme, as stated by Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville in December.
This initiative allowed Ukrainians to select the Scottish government as their visa sponsor for expedited entry and temporary accommodation, often in hotels and cruise ships.
The influx of refugees from Ukraine to the UK has been ongoing since the intensification of the conflict between Moscow and Kyiv in February 2022.
A recent study conducted for the British Red Cross indicated that many of these refugees might face homelessness during the upcoming winter.
“We expect thousands of men, women, and children from Ukraine to become homeless here in the UK,” said Olivia Field, head of policy and advocacy at the British Red Cross. She added that it is “difficult” for them to get the help they need to find long-term housing, and they are “often unable to meet upfront rental costs.”
