Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Scotland and Wales bid to be refugee super sponsors

Scotland and Wales bid to be refugee super sponsors

Scotland's first minister and her Welsh counterpart have proposed that both governments become "super sponsors" to Ukranian refugees fleeing the war.

Nicola Sturgeon and Mark Drakeford have written to the UK government to confirm their commitment in contributing to its community sponsorship scheme.

But Scotland and Wales have offered to step further to support refugees by acting as super sponsors.

It is hoped this would allow Ukrainians to come to the two countries faster.

The idea would be to get them into temporary accommodation immediately and then work with local partners to provide longer-term places to stay, including with host individuals, and give them access to safeguarding and services.

Households in the UK will be offered £350 a month to open their homes to people fleeing the war in Ukraine.

The UK government's Homes for Ukraine scheme calls on people to offer a spare room or an empty property to a refugee for a period of at least six months.

'No cap on refugee numbers'


In a joint letter to Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove, Ms Sturgeon and Mr Drakeford have emphasised that the government must provide more clarity on how the scheme will work.

The letter makes clear that no cap will be set by Scotland and Wales on the numbers of refugees they will welcome.

Scotland has made an immediate commitment to support 3,000 refugees in the initial wave, in line with the numbers that were resettled under the Syrian scheme. Wales would take 1,000.


The Scottish government said it would welcome "at least" a proportionate share of the total number who come to the UK.

The letter also says it is essential that all arrivals have access to public funds, including welfare benefits, and are exempted from the Habitual Residence Test for accessing these.

The first ministers also call for urgent clarity on funding arrangements to support local government and they have suggested a "per head" funding arrangement similar to the Syrian and Afghanistan schemes to support resettlement and integration costs.

Finally, the letter calls for all visa requirements for Ukrainian nationals to be waived.

'Play our full part'


Nicola Sturgeon said: "I want Scotland to play our full part in welcoming Ukrainians seeking sanctuary from war. The UK response so far has been beset with bureaucracy and red tape, when what is needed is humanity and urgent refuge for as many as possible.

"We are still awaiting full details of the proposed community sponsorship scheme. If the UK government is still unwilling to waive visa requirements, it is essential that this scheme works efficiently and effectively and allows people to come to the UK as quickly as possible.

"However, I am very worried that if people have to be matched with an individual sponsor before even being allowed entry to the UK, it will prove slow and cumbersome."

People called for more help for Ukrainian refugees at a rally in Glasgow on Saturday


She said that super sponsorship would allow large numbers to come to the respective nations quickly and that she would be able to welcome Ukrainians to Scotland as soon as possible.

However, refugee support groups fear the main problem is not with hosting Ukrainians, but in visa restrictions stopping them from entering the country in the first place.

'This is a gimmick'


Robina Qureshi, director of refugee homelessness charity Positive Action in Housing, said there were skilled and experienced hosting networks up and down the country with thousands of hosts.

"Britain is not planning on taking its fair share of refugees, even though there is public support for taking in Ukrainian refugees," she said.

"The families who host refugees don't do it for money, they are helping because they see a government that is heartless and won't lift visa restrictions.

"The number of houses is not the problem and this is a gimmick - just another distraction from the fact that the UK is still the only country in Europe that hasn't lifted visa restrictions and there are still no safe routes here for Ukrainian war refugees."

A spokesman for the Department for Levelling Up said: "We are always grateful to the devolved govts for their offers of support.

"We will continue to work with the devolved governments in the organisation of this scheme and see how best it can continue to be delivered."

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
Intel Reports Revenue Beats but Sees 81% Rise in Losses
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
Tulsi Gabbard Unveils Evidence Alleging Political Manipulation of Intelligence During Trump Administration
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Trump Announces Coca-Cola to Shift to Cane Sugar in U.S. Production
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
Moonshot AI Unveils Kimi K2: A New Open-Source AI Model
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Proposes Supplying Arms to Ukraine Through NATO Allies
US Opens First Rare Earth Mine in Over 70 Years in Wyoming
Bitcoin Reaches New Milestone of $116,000
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
Western Europe Records Hottest June on Record
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
France Requests Airlines to Cut Flights at Paris Airports Amid Planned Air Traffic Controller Strike
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
×