Ukrainians in Scotland may be left without housing: expert warns

Thousands of Ukrainians in Scotland risk losing their homes due to the cessation of government support for families hosting refugees. This concerns the cancellation of monthly payments of 500 pounds sterling for hosts who provided shelter to Ukrainians under the program «Homes for Ukraine». This was reported by the head of the Migration Policy Office and president of the Ukrainian Association of Companies for International Employment, Vasyl Voskobiynyk.

According to the publication, after the full-scale war began, about 28,000 Ukrainians found refuge in Scotland, mostly women and children. The new government's decision to cut funding has raised concerns that some families will be forced to leave temporary housing, and local councils are already warning of the risk of an increase in applications for homeless status.

Ukrainian refugees in Scotland: why the situation is worsening

The head of the Migration Policy Office and president of the Ukrainian Association of Companies for International Employment, Vasyl Voskobiynyk, believes that the situation in Scotland reflects a general European trend. Countries are gradually reducing social benefits and reviewing temporary protection conditions due to budgetary pressures and internal political stress.

According to him, such processes are already taking place in other states:

• Poland plans to end the temporary protection status from March 2026

• Germany discusses limiting payments for newly arrived Ukrainians

• Great Britain and Scotland are winding down housing support programs

Reducing assistance to Ukrainians in Europe: what options remain

The expert emphasizes that the most vulnerable are people with disabilities and women with small children who cannot physically quickly enter the labor market. For them, several scenarios are possible: moving to another country where support programs are still in place or returning to Ukraine if the security situation allows.

Voskobiynyk emphasizes that relying solely on social assistance is a flawed strategy. According to him, Ukrainians abroad should already have a backup plan and primarily rely on their own capabilities. He also notes that Ukraine and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs should work more actively on supporting citizens abroad and help with voluntary return or relocation.

It should be noted that in October 2025, the EU countries issued 74,175 new decisions to grant temporary protection to Ukrainian refugees. This is the second largest monthly figure of the year, second only to the peak in September.