Will you sign up to the new refugee sponsorship scheme?

[JoyousOpalLemur]

The Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood is apparently announcing next week a new refugee sponsorship scheme.

It would allow households to privately sponsor refugees from conflict zones.

Applications open this autumn, with the aim of resettling more than 10,000 people.

It’s modelled on Canada’s scheme and the Homes for Ukraine programme.

Sponsors would commit to providing financial, emotional and practical support.

What do people think? I just can't help thinking that with the current pressures on housing, schools, GPs and local services, how this will actually work in practice? Has anyone been involved in the Ukraine sponsorship scheme and can share what it was really like day-to-day?

Curious to hear everyone’s views.

https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/home-secretary-announce-scheme-refugees-uk-lgdr8ff25

Nope

I don’t know if this scheme would be better or worse than alternatives. But I can see one major flaw already in terms of community groups and smaller organisations sponsoring refugees, namely that these organisations are generally configured as charities and very few volunteer trustees are likely to want to take on overall responsibility for refugees.

What is the situation now with the Homes for Ukraine scheme? I haven’t heard any news about it for a while.
Many Ukranians must be heavily integrated into UK society by now. Will they be able to seek citizenship after a period of time? I am not objecting to that btw, just wondering what the situation is.

I have opened my home to people in need in the past. It went okay but I wouldn't do it again now. For a range of reasons.

For a couple of people on this thread, it's as if they don't want to believe the policy and are pretending it's something entirely different.

So you'd be okay with young female students getting attacked?
Maybe offer your house before you suggest putting young girls who did NOT choose this in this position.
You're a truly vile person.

No.

I wouldn’t have a stranger live with us. I also barely have enough time to see my own children and family at the moment, I have no emotional or physical capacity to spare.

Why does that make it better? That the refugees have relatives already in the country?

Every single politician should have to fill their own spare rooms with them!!! Put a few in Downing Street...

Buckingham Palace could hold a lot...

Then let's see how great an idea it is?

There are so many dangerous places in the world.

The initial points on the thread didn't mention community groups, it sounded like just an individual thing. I think a lot of people would sign up to help in some way and a few would agree to host.

Nope. Just about surviving with my own family right now!

I was just about to post the same
this will be an absolute golden ticket for reform / restore

Just when you think labour really can’t do worse
They do 😂😂

That's quite the stretch. Where does she say she supports this happening? She was just explaining the scheme (I think, anyway).

Nope, as a Probation Officer, the government have sucked every last drop of practical and emotional support out of me that I have to give and they don’t pay me enough to support my family financially, let alone a stranger!

Of course. Why shouldn’t they sign up? Question to them, not you as agreeing.

The government is desperate because they're about to have to put up tax again, working people are increasingly living hand to mouth and a chunk of tax money is going to have to go on semi-literate sexually frustrated blokes living absolutely shit lives in Premier Inns and Leonardos up and down the country. This won't touch the sides but they want to try everything to stop Reform taking over.

Unfortunately I think it is almost certain they will unless Labour starts increasing barriers to unskilled immigration (which they cannot do because of their support base).

It’s time we started looking after our own people. So definitely no, hell would freeze over first.

100% this.

Fuck that.

I suspect this is the point? If no one takes it up, esp those saying how much we need immigration, it shows people like the idea but won’t put themselves out personally. Except that it opens the doors for newly naturalised citizens to sponsor family members from back ‘home’?

We just can’t rescue everyone who needs rescuing in the third world.

I know someone who housed a Ukrainian woman and child. The Ukrainian woman took advantage and it was a disaster. She would never do it again. I wouldn’t have considered it in the first place. It’s too risky and my own family and friends are my priority.

We give enough in tax and in financial, practical and emotional support to loved ones because services and resources that should be there for them aren’t. To be blunt, I’m not willing to do more when we are already doing so much.

It took me 20 years to get to know and trust my friend enough to be able to share a house with her so no.

But are the sponsors going to provide healthcare, dental care, mental health support, education, long term housing?

No, that will come from general provision, which is already under massive pressure.

We can help people in other countries through our foreign aid budget. Bringing thousands more people here from very different cultures will put more strain on our already fracturing community cohesion.

This isn’t a new thing. Refugees at home have been placing refugees with welcoming families for several years. It has worked very well. Homes for Ukraine got far more publicity because people are less bigoted about that particular crisis.

I would absolutely host a refugee if I had a spare room but I don’t. I have been inquiring about volunteering with a local refugee group to offer something even if it isn’t a home or money. I do have time, compassion, some expertise in certain areas which I hope will be helpful.