thread for those interested in refugee hosting/sponsorship

[EezyOozy]

I thought I would start a new thread about this as I have just heard on BBC news that they are opening up a web form tomorrow to express interest. Apparently families/households can claim £350 a month (I assume for increased expenses) and refugees will be eligible to claim or benefits and work. We have large a spare room but live rurally so whilst I will express interest I'm not sure we will be taken up on it.

I thought I would start a new thread for those who are interested and to follow the progress of the registration procedure/how this pans out in practice.

Posted here because it's the only place I know gets plenty traffic, I will probably be asking for this to be moved but don't know where to.

@TacoCats

You do reliese your inviting a complete stranger into your home, who will be very mentally traumatised and most likely will struggle to communicate with you and then you need to pay out extra for keep.

It's not easy, those thinking it'll be a breeze you haven't got a clue what your getting yourselves into this isn't some fairy tale!

Agreed- Taking in traumatised people when one cannot speak the language isn’t going to be easy for either party, unless the accommodation is completely separate.

Even having non traumatised lodgers can strain the patience.

A friend did one of those Belarus Charities where one hosted a child for just two weeks and it was much harder than she’d anticipated, despite having done other hosting.
Language barrier was a big issue, and behaviour.

Worth thinking about in advance what you’d do if things really didn’t work out. ( For guests and hosts) .

Most of us are struggling to pay for own families!

Which is why they’re giving you £350. But it’s not compulsory, like in the war. You don’t have to do it if you don’t want. Probably best all round that you don’t.

Will they be vaccinated this was mentioned in the other thread and that uptake of the vaccine in Ukraine was low. We’ve just come through 2 years of restrictions and now the suggestion is to take people in if you can. Fine, but will they be tested/vaccinated beforehand? anyone know...

@DdraigGoch

You do reliese your inviting a complete stranger into your home, who will be very mentally traumatised and most likely will struggle to communicate with you and then you need to pay out extra for keep.

Most of the refugees will not be "mentally traumatised". Most escaped before the bombing reached their town, though they will still be very frightened and worried for loved ones left behind.

I disagree. It was a small minority of the 2.5 million people who up to now have fled Ukraine who did so before it became very clear that civilians were being targeted.

Most of the refugees will definitely be traumatised, make no mistake about this.

@daisypond

I would need them to be vaccinated against Covid, as I’m clinically vulnerable. I’ll see what the form says. We don’t have a spare room and are already overcrowded, but could move things around. I’m used to hosting waifs and strays, but no one this traumatised.

Doesnt sound fair for you or them, surely this is aimed at people with suitable spare rooms? In ideal world their own room and bathroom

Unless you have a connection already to the person/family coming from Ukraine

@ilovebrie8

Will they be vaccinated this was mentioned in the other thread and that uptake of the vaccine in Ukraine was low. We’ve just come through 2 years of restrictions and now the suggestion is to take people in if you can. Fine, but will they be tested/vaccinated beforehand? anyone know...

I doubt that getting vaccinated is their top priority right now, but would assume you can link them in with GP services and encourage our once they're with you.

I am going to sign up and see what happens when more information comes out. I'd like to think someone would do that for me if I had to flee my country. I don't like the idea of finding someone on social media though, it sounds like online dating.

If some of us do go ahead and apply tomorrow it might be helpful to set up a WhatsApp group so we can share our knowledge?

Absolutely not. We have two spare rooms and no amount of money or incentive could make me even consider this.

It isn’t safe. We have a child and we have to think of her.

It’s not safe or fair to expect a child to have to live with a traumatised stranger who probably doesn’t even speak their language. It’s insanity.

@Firefliess it’s a more than valid question given the restrictions we lived under for 2 years and many people died/livelihoods won’t ever recover . I never said it was their top priority. It’s a consideration given the whole world was living under a pandemic and the government shut us down now they are requesting help, I’ve no issue with that but the question needs asking ...hello what has been going on for the last 2 years before this war started ...

I have a btl that is empty and I am using opportunity to put in new kitchen, re- paint and new laminate on floors. If I can get it ready by end of month I am going to offer it to refugees for 6 months which was minimum government commitment. It has 2 large bedrooms, large lounge and kitchen/diner so could house small family. I want to do my bit.

Presumably there will have to be a home visit to see if the accommodation being offered is suitable.

Having seen some of the squalid, overcrowded and unsafe 'emergency accomodation' vulnerable women and children I work with have been dumped in whilst waiting for council housing, I wouldn't bet on it. My main reservation about this is that I do not trust the Government to put the necessary checks and processes in place to effectively support and safeguard refugees or host families who sign up to this scheme. I fear that the fact they're expecting people to find each other on social media and hope that everyone is who they say they are and has good intentions, rather than individually matching refugees with hosts shows the 'hands off' approach they intend to take. The potential for exploitation is massive, and this is not a Government that prioritises the welfare of vulnerable people.

@Bananabutter What do you think the alternative is? Where do you think they will go? Assume you'd be happy sleeping outside with your child as to not inconvenience anyone else if you were fleeing a war? These comments are just so enraging.

@Bananabutter

Absolutely not. We have two spare rooms and no amount of money or incentive could make me even consider this.

It isn’t safe. We have a child and we have to think of her.

It’s not safe or fair to expect a child to have to live with a traumatised stranger who probably doesn’t even speak their language. It’s insanity.

Then don't do it? It is not compulsory.

@Firefliess meant to add you said in your post link them in with my GP services that made me laugh, where I am you can barely get through on the phone and if you do your appointment will be weeks away, maybe a month at best. They will not discuss vaccines that’s their hobby horse don’t call us we know nothing ! They aren’t interested I was told by my surgery that they cannot cope with the number of patients on their books as it is...but that’s a whole other mess!

I doubt that getting vaccinated is their top priority right now, but would assume you can link them in with GP services and encourage our once they're with you.

Ukraine has low vaccine take-up, like much of East and Central Europe, and its population has had a long time to get vaccinated. I don’t think any “encouraging” this end is going to work. I would host, but categorically would not host anyone unvaccinated.

I can’t quite get my head around the idea that there is no agency or charity involved in matching us with somebody. I’m really surprised by this.

Really amazing that people want to help. Having fostered several asylum seekers in the past, and a British mother and baby, and tons of children..I would encourage people to be brave and Just Do It! Good luck!

[quote Wintersbone]@Bananabutter What do you think the alternative is? Where do you think they will go? Assume you'd be happy sleeping outside with your child as to not inconvenience anyone else if you were fleeing a war? These comments are just so enraging. [/quote]
Its upsetting but it isn’t mine or my family’s problem to solve.

You would imagine that people could express a preference for a named person, but not that the uk resident has to actively find a named individual to sponsor. It’s almost like they are imagining a kind of ‘dating app’ model. It is mad.

Will I still get the 25% discount on my council tax?

@TacoCats

And watch that £350 be taken off peoples benefits as income. It's not worth it, it'll cost more alone in having extra people stay in food, gas/electric, water, petrol!

@TacoCats

It’s really irresponsible to make things like this up. Refugees need help.

Thanks for starting the thread. We are also going to sign up. We would need to convert the old playroom/office, and will need to understand what set up is expected. Also as previous posters mentioned I've some concerns about the lack of vetting and how you know if someone is who they say they are. Will sign up and hopefully start to get these questions answered. Expect it will be hard for all of us, but humanitarian response should be our first reaction. All those saying 'it's not my problem' - let's hope you never end up in a similar situation to be greeted by that response.

We are interested. We don’t have a large house, but 1 spare bedroom with a double bed in.

We live on the outskirts of a big city with very good transport links, and we are close to a Ukrainian culture centre.

The things that make me want to offer help are thinking about such huge numbers of people being displaced, and how hard it must be to find accommodation that is suitable. If we and others can offer temporary accommodation for a period of time hopefully it will help take a little pressure off the immediate crisis. I imagine that if we were in that situation I would feel safer staying in a family home with children and toys and local knowledge etc rather than hostels & hotels & camps.

The things that make me apprehensive are whether the general disruption will be more stressful than I realise. We are laid back people and think we can handle this well, but you just never know how you’re actually going to feel. We are also expecting a baby in October, so we have lots going on this year already.

Going to give it a lot of thought as I would really like to help, but want to make sure we are doing it for the right reasons and would be prepared to deal with the reality of it.

I'm astonished it's as much as £350 a month. I think they'd have enough people offering to do it for nothing. I wonder if that money is to feed them or your expected to give them some of it? Hopefully they'll use this scheme to get other refugees out of hotels.