What is it about?
This paper discusses the ways in which the welfare system has responded to the financial and housing needs of Ukrainian citizens coming to the UK since the Russian invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022. The focus is on two key areas of policy: social security and housing.
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Why is it important?
This is the most significant European refugee crisis since the Second World War. The UK government has presented a moral argument to support Ukrainian refugees and has provided a package of support which is more comprehensive than that which is provided through the general asylum system. However, close scrutiny reveals significant policy concerns: complexity, inconsistencies, safeguarding, breakdown in provision and long-term uncertainty.
Perspectives
The provisions described in this paper are a useful starting point in responding to this humanitarian crisis but won’t hold in the long-term. Government policy needs to quickly evolve to ensure that an adequate safety net is provided when current provisions break down and that arrangements are made for long-term settlement.
Richard Machin
Nottingham Trent University
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: The UK – a home for Ukrainians? An analysis of social security and housing policy, Journal of Poverty and Social Justice, March 2023, Policy Press,
DOI: 10.1332/175982723x16770921278736.
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