We had a family stay with us for 12 months (the government asks hosts to take guests for at least six months), though we didn’t ask them to leave. They just became independent and obviously wanted their own place. We consider them family now, we love them and still see them every week. I never put pressure on our guest to find work straight away because she was very traumatised but it was difficult to get the jobcentre to understand this.
But in answer to your question here are a few things to remember:
Most hosts did this out of the goodness of their hearts and discovered that it costs a lot more than the £300 a month from the government to keep an extra family.
The local council puts pressure on hosts to encourage independence in guests. In the UK people are not allowed to just sit round and not work. If they do, the government will stop their benefits. The amount of benefits that are paid is small, not enough for a good life. People are much better off going to work.
In the UK we have a housing crisis. There are not enough homes for the number of people and housing is VERY expensive. Your host understands that if you want to find somewhere to live in the future you will need to have saved a lot of money. Our guest had to pay £6000 to get a small flat (six months rent up front as she had no credit history in the UK). Your host will need to encourage you to do this, and the council will check regularly that they are doing it.
Some Ukrainians have expected to get houses from the council but unfortunately in most areas these no longer exist. If no plans or savings have been made, it is a big problem for the council and they want to make sure that doesn’t happen, so they put a lot of pressure on hosts to make sure guests are working and saving.
So you need to be thinking of the future and start planning as early as possible, or you will have no chance of ever living independently. Do not think that it’s because hosts don’t want you. Remember that they understand the UK and know how things work much better than you do! I understand it must feel like they are trying to push you but it genuinely isn’t done with bad feeling. We all want what is best for you until it is safe for you to return home. слава Україні 💙💛