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Original poster

Will you be opening your home up to Ukrainian refugees?

999 replies

musicalfrog · 11/03/2022 08:03

Interested to see how popular this will be considering so many of us want desperately to make a tangible difference.

My OH wouldn't be up for it I don't think, and we don't have a spare room so I will avoid that particular argument. But otherwise I think it would be such a great thing to do.

The govt is asking for a minimum commitment of 6 months. Will you be signing up?

OP posts:
Dasher789 · 13/03/2022 00:44

I'm seriously thinking about it. Dh and I have 1 spare room set up with a double bed. We have a 2nd spare room which is a bit of a dumping ground but we do have a fold out camp bed - maybe suitable for a young child?

The gov is offering £350 tax free cash to hosts so this would cover additional bills etc.

My main concern is how do you help deal with the trauma without any skills and also the minimum 6 month period you have to agree to is quite long - what impact would that have on dh and I and our own lives.

I am quite concerned but its the right this to do. Heart or head?

Walkoflife · 13/03/2022 01:17

No we don’t have a spare room but even if we did,we have a 13 year old with severe autism and complex needs so we’ve enough to deal with.
Also with myself possibly being on the spectrum also it would make me feel really uncomfortable having strangers in my home.

TheWatersofMarch · 13/03/2022 01:35

No spare room. Would also find it difficult to take part in this scheme when this wasn't on the table for Afghan refugees running for their lives 6 months ago.

SpikeySmooth · 13/03/2022 01:46

No space! Two bed flat, both bedrooms occupied.

Zotter · 13/03/2022 01:49

Guardian have also written an explainer on the new scheme www.theguardian.com/world/2022/mar/11/uk-scheme-take-ukraine-refugees-without-family-ties?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

Lucimaya · 13/03/2022 02:21

Not being alone with young children. If I was part of a couple I may consider it but unfortunately I don't feel in a position to, we are vulnerable ourselves and there are too many questions, until the gov throw more light on it.

31flavours · 13/03/2022 03:08

Were you all so keen to open up your homes to Syrians or the yemenese?

TibetanTerrah · 13/03/2022 03:31

@31flavours please stop. I actually think tiktok has played a big part in publicising ukraine. Atrocities on the front line from real people are literally every video on my for you page and you can't escape it.

I'm actually very disappointed with the replies here. Lots of virtue signalling for three weeks but when push comes to shove its a flat "no, I don't want someone in my home".

Bromse · 13/03/2022 04:17

Not everyone is in a position to have a refugee or refugees living with them. For a start, you have to have the room and be able to look after them to a certain extent. People with young children and the elderly are vulnerable too, you can't take chances.

Someone with a self contained annexe or an empty rental property will be able to house refugees. I would love to be able to do it - and wouldn't care where they came from, we've had plenty of refugees and asylum seekers coming here over the years, the Ukraine is recent - but I honestly can't. However there are other ways to help.

Porcupineintherough · 13/03/2022 06:19

@31flavours Britain took 25,000 Syrian refugees and the government provided housing. This time round c 1,000 Ukrainians have made it here and it seems more can only come unless people offer housing. So bore off with your pseudocomparisons.

daisypond · 13/03/2022 06:24

Is there any mention of covid vaccinations? This would be absolutely essential to me. I don’t think Ukraine has a high take-up of the vaccine.

FlyingGeeseAgain · 13/03/2022 06:34

@31flavours

Were you all so keen to open up your homes to Syrians or the yemenese?
What about yourself? Did you take in Syrian refugees or Yemenis? There are many people who want to help her all you can do is sneer.
FlyingGeeseAgain · 13/03/2022 06:36

@daisypond

Is there any mention of covid vaccinations? This would be absolutely essential to me. I don’t think Ukraine has a high take-up of the vaccine.
Exactly. One minute we are being told not to hug our loved ones and live in isolation. Less than a year later we are being urged to take in refugees from another country. Meanwhile we still can’t travel freely and in Scotland still have to wear masks. It’s absolutely crazy.
FlyingGeeseAgain · 13/03/2022 06:38

Plus where is the £350
Coming from in an economic crisis ?

Usingit · 13/03/2022 06:41

People will be posting about this on Facebook, probably with photos, it makes me feel a bit sick

GreMay1 · 13/03/2022 06:42

I don't think it's right that it's imposed or left to people like us to open our doors for many reasons. Although it's nice of people to offer BUT surely the Ukrainian people would be better living together... in some sort of emergency accommodation set up by the GOV not spread out all other individual houses living with total strangers. It's absolute madness.

FlyingGeeseAgain · 13/03/2022 06:43

@GreMay1

I don't think it's right that it's imposed or left to people like us to open our doors for many reasons. Although it's nice of people to offer BUT surely the Ukrainian people would be better living together... in some sort of emergency accommodation set up by the GOV not spread out all other individual houses living with total strangers. It's absolute madness.
I agree.
daisypond · 13/03/2022 06:46

I would host, and am considering it - I live in London and two of us speak Russian - but there’s already five of us in a two-bed one-bathroom house, so they would have to be in the dining room on a blow-up bed, but I’m clinically extremely vulnerable - I was in the shielding category before - so anyone who comes would have to have been double vaccinated.

31flavours · 13/03/2022 07:05

To the detractors. My point is when Syrians and Yemenese risk their lives in boats to get here the public mood is to send them back. Yet with the Ukraine situation the public mood to to let them in.

I can only really point to one difference between the Ukrainians and these other folks. What do you think that is?

EasterChimney · 13/03/2022 07:11

I'd like to. My only reservation is that we're a same sex couple and I'd need to know the person had no issue with that otherwise it'd be a very uncomfortable stay for all of us.

bluewanda · 13/03/2022 07:16

I would love to do this but sadly we don’t have a spare room Sad

legosnowqueen · 13/03/2022 07:17

We have a spare room & would like to do this. I've been haunted by the tv footage.

TibetanTerrah · 13/03/2022 07:20

I can only really point to one difference between the Ukrainians and these other folks. What do you think that is?

2million+ women and children vs mostly single men you mean?

But let's face it, the real reason we've taken an interest is that it may actually affect us, through nuclear war/WW3. Most of us didn't give a shit about what's happening in other countries before. It was the same with covid, when it was happening in China it was 'others'.

Trainbear · 13/03/2022 07:21

[quote Porcupineintherough]@31flavours Britain took 25,000 Syrian refugees and the government provided housing. This time round c 1,000 Ukrainians have made it here and it seems more can only come unless people offer housing. So bore off with your pseudocomparisons.[/quote]
Correct, sadly. Racist behaviour against the Ukrainians.