As the war in Ukraine rages on, Sky News spoke to refugees who fled to the UK months ago and moved in with strangers who had opened their homes.
Most stay with those who took them in, but some may have nowhere to live if they stay in the UK.
British hosts who have subscribed to the “Homes for Ukraine” program have been asked to provide accommodation for refugees for at least six months. For many households, that time has passed or is about to pass.
A total of 94,900 Ukrainians have come to the UK to stay with British families since the start of the war. The hosts could not charge their guests’ rent, but they received monthly payments of £350 from the government.
Ilona Lemekha was one of the first Ukrainians to arrive in the UK under the visa scheme in March. She was placed with Sarah Hedley and her husband and children in Bedford.
Since her arrival, Ms. Lemekha has found two jobs, working in a hotel and a restaurant, and she has become extremely close to the family who gave her a home. She now sees Mrs Hedley as a mother figure.
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“Oh, to be honest, I’m really lucky with this family. I’m the lucky person,” Ms Lemekha says.
She comes from Dnipro in the east Ukraine and says it’s still too dangerous for her to return as Russia continues their assault nearby.
Mrs Lemekha has not seen her husband for seven months and does not know when they will be reunited – she feels like she is in limbo.
“You understand that you woke up in the morning, and you have no plans except [your] work. I can’t plan. I don’t see my future, not here, and I don’t understand the situation in Ukraine right now,” she said.
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Ms Lemekha wants to find a place to rent in the UK, careful not to overstay her welcome at the Hedleys. But Ms Hedley says she can stay as long as she needs.
“I think it would actually be really sad when you leave,” Ms Hedley told Ms Lemekha.
“It’s like she’s part of the family. It’s very, very easy to have Ilona with us.”
Relationship breakups
Some refugees cannot stay with their long-term hosts or have already had to move. Charity Opora, which helps Ukrainian refugees, estimates that one in 10 refugees living in English homes left before the end of their six months.
Sky News has submitted freedom of information requests to UK councils. Those who responded cited relationship breakdowns as the most common reason customers leave, often citing cultural differences and communication issues.. But the departures were also caused by refugees returning to Ukraine.
Louise Higham welcomed Marta Sahaidak and her two sons to her West Sussex home in May.
The arrangement was only meant to be temporary as Ms Higham and her husband are in the process of becoming foster parents and need to return to their home to care for foster children and earn a living.
Marta and Louise tour the UK sites with Marta’s mother, Oksana, upon arrival in the UK
“No question that I make it homeless”
“It’s not about the money, it’s about what we intended to do with our lives. Marta always knew that this deadline was coming, and now we’re both not sleeping because it’s n ‘there’s no way on earth I’m going to make her homeless,’ Ms Higham says.
Mrs. Higham has formed a close bond with Mrs. Sahaidak and her children.
“It’s a beautiful two-way relationship. I’ve learned so much about Ukraine, we’ve grown our family. There’s been a lot of benefits, but now we’re crying out for help,” Ms Higham says.
The destruction at home continues: Another building in Ukraine (in Sloviansk) was destroyed this week. Photo: AP
Mrs. Sahaidak has a job here and hopes to raise the deposit she will need to rent a house, but she has found landlords reluctant to rent to refugees.
“I worry because I don’t know what will happen to me and my children,” she said.
They looked for someone else to house Ms Sahaidak’s family in West Sussex, but couldn’t find anyone with space.
“We feel like all the responsibility rests on our shoulders for their well-being in the future, and that’s quite harsh and actually quite shocking,” Ms Higham says.
Elusive rental market
Charities say the economic climate is putting pressure on hosts and making refugees vulnerable.
“We anticipated the desperation and anxiety caused by the impasse in the current UK housing situation (overheating market, cost of living crisis). Reality has unfortunately been in line with this,” says Stan Benes, from Opora.
“Clients are mostly in shock because even though they’ve ticked all the boxes and found a job, are receiving the right benefits and have their children in school, the rental market remains elusive for most .
“This is because they often have limited or no credit history, lack suitable guarantors, and without these they are then unable to pay six months’ rent in advance to secure a tenancy,” explains Mr. Beneš.
Hundreds of thousands of families were forced to flee after the Russian invasion in February
Sponsors are “our backbone”
Most of the refugees they spoke to, who left their hosts’ homes, were placed in hotels, he added.
In a statement, the Department for Leveling, Housing and Communities said: “Sponsors are the backbone of the Homes for Ukraine program and represent the best of British community spirit.
“We are grateful to the hosts for the generosity and goodwill they have shown over the past six months.
“The majority of sponsors want to continue hosting for longer than six months. When clients leave, they have a number of options, including private hire. [accommodation] or find a new host to sponsor them.
“Councils have a duty to ensure that families are not left without a roof over their heads.”
