Cumbria-Ukraine refugee scheme numbers uncertain

About 100 households in Cumbria have registered to offer their homes to Ukrainian refugees under a government sponsorship scheme, figures reveal.

If applications are approved it would allow about 150 people to live in the county for up to three years.

But the council said due to "specific challenges" with the plan there was still "uncertainty" about how many would eventually arrive.

It comes as a community welcome fund has raised more than £30,000 to help.

The Homes for Ukraine scheme allows people to host refugees who don't have family ties in the UK, with households offered £350 a month for up to 12 months.

It was introduced after the government was criticised for not doing enough but critics have called the process too slow and bureaucratic.

The county council will receive £10,500 for each refugee, which will go towards supporting them locally.

While it has several roles in the process, including housing suitability checks, it has no part in registering or matching sponsors, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Deborah Earl, cabinet member for public health and communities, said it was "scaling up" its team to respond.

"It is no small step to invite strangers to live with you, and we and our partners will work with you to make this experience as positive as possible for everyone involved," she said.

"There is no doubt, however, that there are specific challenges with this scheme, not least the uncertainty of how many Ukrainians will eventually arrive and where they will be accommodated."

The government said it was moving "as quickly as possible" to ensure refugees from Ukraine can find safety in the UK through its two schemes.

"We have streamlined the process so valid passport holders do not have to attend in-person appointments before arriving in the UK, simplified our forms and boosted caseworker numbers, while ensuring vital security checks are carried out," a spokesperson added.

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