Highland’s response to the Ukraine Displaced Persons Scheme praised by members
Members of The Highland Council – who met today, Thursday, 22 September – have commended the work of officers and teams working across the organisation for their collaborative efforts in supporting Ukrainian refugees who are seeking sanctuary throughout the Highlands.
In recognition of the need to maintain this level of support and financially prepare for any additional arrivals into Highland over the coming months, Members agreed a recommendation to submit a letter to Scottish Government for additional funding to alleviate a projected in-year budget pressure to the Council of at least £41,000.
The Highland Council previously debated and gave its unequivocal support to the people of Ukraine fleeing conflict during a meeting which took place in March 2022. Humanitarian support; support for refugees and support for staff, young people and the wider public and in particular for those with families and friends involved in the crisis was also considered at the time.
As of 5 September, there are over 9,000 Ukrainians living in sanctuary in Scotland, and a total of 21,000 visas have been issued which allow Ukrainian Displaced Persons (UDPs) to live, work and claim welfare support.
The programme is comprised of three separate strands:
Homes for Ukraine Scheme – the original scheme initiated by the UK Government during March 2022, encouraging private houseowners to provide guest accommodation for displaced clients. Since the start of the Homes for Ukraine (HFU) Scheme, 86 properties across Highland registered under the HFU scheme who have matched with 205 guests.
Scottish Super Sponsorship Scheme – the Scottish Government announced this scheme on 18 March 2022. It enables clients to register with Scottish Government as their sponsor ahead of visa application and travel, rather than requiring an arrangement to already be in place with a host family. The total Expressions of Interest received from the Scottish Government of hosts offering their properties under this scheme was very high across all areas of Highland, with 672 expressions of interest.
Contingency Hotel Accommodation – Contingency hotels are subject to contractual arrangements directly between the Government and the hotel owners. As a result of the increased number of arrivals in Scotland, the Scottish Government has now established numerous hotel placements across Scotland. In Highland, the situation at 8 September is as follows:
- Inverness (3 hotels) – 181 clients
- Strathpeffer (1 hotel) – 39 clients
- Aviemore (2 hotels) – 201 clients
Cllr Bill Lobban, Convener of the Council said: “We recognise the hurdles and challenging timescales which have been involved in this particular resettlement programme and the additional role of Highland’s unique geography. Thankfully, within the organisation, we have a strong track record in supporting refugees and have well-established structures which we have been able to build upon to support refugees and migrants.
“Following today’s agreement, we will now be writing to Scottish Government Ministers seeking confirmation of the future funding arrangements to ensure we have resource earmarked for the continuation of this vital lifeline of support. This will also include seeking confirmation from the Government for the holistic, outcome focussed and flexible use of the schemes to cover the circumstances set out above in order to ensure family’s needs are met.”
Chair of the Housing & Property Committee, Councillor Glynis Sinclair, added: “Many of those fleeing the conflict in Ukraine have experienced a great deal of emotional trauma and the Council’s role in providing assistance and access to education, healthcare and welfare support has – and continues to - play a key role in helping those individuals begin the journey in re-building their lives here in Highland.”