Today Kent County Council, like so many organisations, communities and individuals across the country, marked the anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Amid the horror and shattering cruelty of the invasion, and the indirect impacts that the resulting economic disruption has brought home to all of us in daily life, there has also been a heartening response in this country and our allies, not least in the welcome given to Ukrainians forced to flee the conflict. In Kent, which has taken more Ukrainian guests under the Homes for Ukraine scheme than any other comparable area of the country, we have seen an extraordinary response from people across the county.
Some 4,202 people from Ukraine have been matched with 1,737 sponsors in Kent. Not all have yet come here, but 3,209 have done so. At present, 1,889 are staying with 905 sponsors; others have already done so and moved on, in some cases returning to Ukraine and in other cases moving into the private rented sector.
Last year there was concern that, once the six month minimum period for hosting came to an end, many hosting arrangements would come to an end. KCC moved ahead of many other councils in raising the rates for payments to hosts from a flat rate £350 per month, regardless of the numbers hosted, to a higher set of rates ranging from £400 per month for hosting one Ukrainian guest to £1,000 per month for 7 or more. This seems to have had an effect; instead of 60% of hosting arrangements coming to an end after 6 months, as we feared, just 7% did so.
This scheme was set to run through until the end of the financial year in March 2023, since there was at that time uncertainty over future provisions for the scheme. DLUHC confirmed before Christmas that there would be a continuation of the scheme into financial year 2023-24, though with reduced payments to councils but an increase (to £500) in payments to hosts of Ukrainians who have been in the country for over a year. This payment does not, however, increase if there are more guests. KCC has therefore announced that we will, for the next twelve months, support hosts in line with the scheme we had previously announced, but with a higher payment (£500 rather than £400) for single guests who have been here for over 12 months. In other words, we will combine the government’s provisions with our own.
The aim of these schemes is to sustain hosting arrangements but over time many Ukrainian guests will want or need to seek other housing. We are therefore working with district councils across the county, and in particular Sevenoaks District Council, to facilitate an increasing number of moves by Ukrainian guests into the private rented sector.
Our strongest wish is that the day comes soon when our guests are able to return to a free, unified and peaceful Ukraine. But in the meantime several thousand Ukrainians are becoming a valued part of the Kent community, and it is good to be able to support that.
You can find the KCC media release on this here.
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