Applications have now opened for our Homes for Ukraine scheme, and I’m proud to see some 150,000 households have so far opened up their doors to the country’s refugees.
Under the scheme, Ukrainians who have been forced to flee their homeland, will be able to move in with British families regardless of whether they have ties to the UK, and hosts will receive a tax-free ‘thank you’ payment of £350 per month.
We know our fantastic charities, faith groups and businesses will have extensive networks with communities and individuals across Europe — and we’re working with them to make sure people who want to help are matched to people from Ukraine.
We’re also continuing to help Ukraine through the military, economic and humanitarian aid. So far in this conflict, we have helped train 22,000 of their troops, and we’ve announced almost £400 million in support, going on things like syringes, dressings and medicines.
Putin’s regime is feeling our tough economic sanctions too. Thanks to our Economic Crimes Bill, we can move further and faster. More than 1,000 individuals and entities have been targeted since the invasion began, we’re phasing out Russian oil imports by the end of the year, we are excluding their banks from the global SWIFT payment system, and we have closed our airspace to their aircraft. And our action has seen the value of the Rouble plummet, the country’s interest rates double, and Moscow’s stock exchange fall sharply.
The fact that tens of thousands of Brits have opened their doors to refugees, in the first few hours of the Homes for Ukraine scheme going live, is testament to our warmth and generosity as a nation. It is one way in which we can help. If you have a spare room in your home, and your circumstances allow, please do consider helping someone in their hour of need. You can get more information at homesforukraine.campaign.gov.uk.
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