free travel ukrainian refugees scotland

• Skip to main content
• Accessibility help

Information

We use cookies to collect anonymous data to help us improve your site browsing experience.

Click 'Accept all cookies' to agree to all cookies that collect anonymous data. To only allow the cookies that make the site work, click 'Use essential cookies only.' Visit 'Set cookie preferences' to control specific cookies.

Your cookie preferences have been saved. You can change your cookie settings at any time.

Scotland for Ukrainians: a guide for displaced people

This guide includes information on visas, travel, accommodation and life in Scotland.

The UK Government Home Office has announced changes to Ukraine visa schemes. This guide is being updated and changes will be reflected as soon as possible.

Where to get support

Throughout this guide, we have provided information and links to organisations offering support to you at each step of the process. Here, we have listed some of the main links that you may need to get started.  

Visa and immigration advice

Please note that opening times in this document are provided in UK time.

UK Visas and Immigration

• The UK Visas and Immigration team can be contacted free at +44 808 164 8810 (or 0808 164 8810 if you are in the UK).  Lines are open Monday to Friday from 9:00 to 17:30.  If you cannot contact UK 0808 numbers, please use +44 (0)175 390 7510.

Ukraine Advice Scotland

Scottish Refugee Council provides free, confidential legal advice and information to people seeking protection including Ukrainians and their families on legal routes for seeking safety in Scotland.  Advice services operate in English, but can provide legal advice in other languages, including Ukrainian and Russian.

You can contact Scottish Refugee Council by calling 0808 1967 274 on:

• Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday between 09:00 and 17:00 (UK time)
• Wednesday between 13:00 and 17:00 (UK time)

Alternatively, you can contact Scottish Refugee Council by emailing [email protected]

Worker Support Centre

• JustRight Scotland’s Worker Support Centre provides advice and support on the seasonal workers visa for people of all nationalities. Find out more at: Workers Support Centre .

Scottish Refugee Council

• The Scottish Refugee Council operates a free helpline which you can call at 0808 196 7274. Additional information is available on their webpages.

General support

• The Scottish Refugee Council (SRC) provides advice to people arriving and living in Scotland. Their free helpline (0808 1967 274) offers advice with tasks such as i mmigration, bank account, accessing benefits, housing, education (Adults and children), language, employment, health and social connection.   SRC also provide online sessions on rights for refugees, which you can book online . They also lead on New Scots Connect , a national network to build New Scots’ social connections and enhance Scotland’s welcome to refugees
• Citizens Advice Scotland provide free, independent, confidential, impartial advice to everyone and can help you with information on bank accounts, legal support, housing, healthcare and employment. They can also provide you with support with foodbank and clothes bank referrals. Scotland's Citizens Advice Helpline (0800 028 1456) is open Monday - Thursday 9:00 to 15:00 and Friday 9:00 to 12:00
• The Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain (AUGB) was created to develop, promote and support the interests of Ukrainians in the UK.  The Association has a network of local branches across the UK. You can access the AUGB Facebook pages of the Edinburgh branch and the Glasgow branch
• Help Ukraine Scotland is an Edinburgh-based volunteer organisation. They share relevant information with displaced people and host charitable events, demonstration and information sessions

Advice and information services

You can access support and information from a range of services across Scotland, including:

Aberlour Ukraine Children and Host Family Service

Aberlour provide family support to assist with newly arrived children, accompanying adults and the host family. They can also support unaccompanied minors and adults caring for them.

Age UK provides information on rights and support for older people living in Scotland, including Ukrainian nationals.

Barnardo’s have set up a Ukrainian Support Helpline to provide support to anyone fleeing the conflict in Ukraine. This includes therapy with a qualified psychotherapist, advice on housing, health services, education and employment, and practical support such as access to digital devices, toys for children, vital baby items and more.

Their helpline – 0800 148 8586 – is open from Monday to Friday, 10:00 to 20:00 and on Saturdays from 10:00 to 15:00. You can also email [email protected] .

British Red Cross

British Red Cross provides information about services and emotional support. You can call their helpline on 0808 196 3651   from 10:00 - 17:00 Monday to Friday, and 10:00 – 18:00 on Wednesdays. They offer Ukrainian and Russian interpreter services, as well as providing access to information about your rights. Available in Ukrainian and Russian .

To view all services they offer, visit their website, call the helpline number or speak to volunteers in Welcome Hubs or temporary welcome accommodation.

Disability groups

Disability Equality Scotland is an organisation for disabled people and disability groups/organisations. They promote equality, inclusion and participation for disabled people in Scotland.

Inclusion Scotland is working to achieve positive changes so that disabled people are fully included throughout all Scottish society as equal citizens.

LGBT+ support

The Equality Network promotes lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality and rights across Scotland. The network has published a directory of LGBTI organisations .

LGBT Health & Wellbeing provides confidential and free support to improve the health, wellbeing and equality of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people in Scotland.

Migrant Help

Migrant Help supports victims of labour exploitation, criminal exploitation, domestic servitude, commercial sexual exploitation (men only), non-commercial sexual exploitation (men and women) and victims of organ harvesting when they enter the UK Government's national framework; the National Referral Mechanism (NRM).  Legal support is available to advise you about this process before entering.

You can contact Migrant Help by emailing [email protected] or by phoning 0141 884 7900. For emergencies and out-of-hours contact, phone 0141 212 8553.

Police Scotland

Police Scotland is responsible for policing across the whole of Scotland. Police Scotland’s purpose is to improve the safety and wellbeing of people, places and communities in Scotland. This focuses on keeping people safe in line with our values of integrity, fairness and respect.

Race Equality

Black and Ethnic Minorities Infrastructure In Scotland (BEMIS) is a national organisation supporting the development of the ethnic minorities voluntary sector in Scotland and the communities that this sector represents.

CEMVO Scotland is a partner of the Scottish Government Equality Unit. CEMVO delivers a range of programmes to over 600 ethnic minority organisations throughout Scotland to address race equality, social inclusion, capacity building and civic participation issues.

Links to further race equality organisations can be found at: Anti-Racism – Resources and Support .

Groups like the Inter Faith Network for the UK may help you to find a place of worship such as a local church, mosque or Buddhist temple.

The Ukrainian Church has one parish in Scotland and other parishes across England and Wales .

The Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain provides information on Ukrainian community centres , Ukrainian Catholic parishes and missions and Ukrainian Autocephalous orthodox parishes across the UK.

SRC is an independent charity dedicated to supporting people in need of refugee protection. 

Their services include:

• National Helpline (freephone 0808 196 7274), bilingual advisers can offer advice and information on immigration, finance, housing, health, education and other questions relating to living in Scotland
• Integration Service, accessible across Scotland. This includes: Your Rights Sessions online and face to face (Renfrewshire Hub, Glasgow hub), and one to one support with an integration advisers to develop an integration plan and help people to achieve their goals on housing, finance, health, education, language, employment and social connections
• Online resources , including Factsheets on rights and where to find help
• Welcome point at Glasgow airport to welcome newly arrived people. It also helps ensure access to Welcome Hubs managed by Renfrewshire Council

SRC works in the community to:

• Support Ukrainian led groups 
• Develop and coordinate Community Integration Networks to identify the needs and requirements of refugees from Ukraine and to mobilise and co-ordinate community assets to address these needs to support their integration
• Coordinate New Scots Connect - New Scots Connect is a new national network, led by Scottish Refugee Council, which aims to build New Scots’ social connections and enhance Scotland’s welcome to refugees

Scottish Women's Aid

Scottish Women’s Aid works to prevent domestic abuse. If you need support or if you are worried about someone you know, you can call the 24 hour helpline on 0800 027 1234 or email [email protected] .    

SOHTIS (Survivors of Human Trafficking in Scotland)

SOHTIS (Survivors of Human Trafficking in Scotland) is an organisation that provide information and workshops which can help you to avoid exploitation or being taken advantage of in Scotland. You can find information on their website in Ukrainian . They also can provide you with advocacy if you are concerned or unsure about exploitation, helping you to understand and access the help you are entitled to under the law. SOHTIS also provides support for survivors of exploitation. You can contact them for assistance from their website .

TARA is an organisation that works to support women over 18 who have been trafficked. They provide information to help you identify if someone is trying to harm you. You can call them on 0141 276 7724 for help and support. Information is available in Ukrainian , Russian and English .

Third Sector Interface (TSI) Scotland Network

The TSI Scotland Network is a body of charities that support the third sector across Scotland. There are 32 TSIs, or Third Sector Interfaces, in Scotland – one for each local council area. TSIs support community planning, health and social care integration. They can help identify support needs for local community groups, voluntary organisations, social enterprises and around volunteering.

Ukrainians Welcome

Ukrainians Welcome provides information on living in the UK, education and services, with links to support from partner organisations.

Young Scot provides information and opportunities for all young people aged 11 to 26 in Scotland.

Email:  [email protected]

There is a problem

Thanks for your feedback

Your feedback helps us to improve this website. Do not give any personal information because we cannot reply to you directly.

Information

You appear to be using an unsupported browser, and it may not be able to display this site properly. You may wish to upgrade your browser .

We use cookies to collect anonymous data to help us improve your site browsing experience.

Click 'Accept all cookies' to agree to all cookies that collect anonymous data. To only allow the cookies that make the site work, click 'Use essential cookies only.' Visit 'Set cookie preferences' to control specific cookies.

Your cookie preferences have been saved. You can change your cookie settings at any time.

Applying for a visa

Unless you already applied using the Scottish Super Sponsor Scheme , there are 2 visa schemes you can currently apply to if you’ve been displaced by the war against Ukraine:

Homes for Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme

Ukraine extension scheme.

The Ukraine Family Scheme closed to new applicants on 19 February 2024. Find out more about the Ukraine Family Scheme on GOV.UK.

If you want to join a settled family member in the UK, you can apply for a visa under the Homes for Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme on GOV.UK .

You can apply for the Ukraine Extension Scheme on GOV.UK until 16 May 2024 .

After 16 May 2024 applications will only be accepted for children born in the UK.

Visa extensions

You may be able to extend your existing visa under the Ukraine Permission Extension scheme on GOV.UK .

Travelling to Scotland

You should not arrange travel to Scotland until you have a valid visa.

You can get help to arrange travel to Scotland if you need it. You may be able to get help with free travel. 

Train travel 

You may be able to get free train travel:

In France from SNCF

Phone: 00 33 1 84 94 3635

In Germany from Deutsche Bahn

Phone: +49 30 311682904

In the UK from National Rail

Phone: 03457  225 333

From Eurostar

Phone: 0343 218 6186

More information about travelling to Scotland

Read more about travelling to Scotland on gov.scot.

If you need help while travelling to Scotland 

If you need help while travelling you may be able to get help from: 

UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) office Phone: +41 22 739 8111

(IOM) – for people affected by the crisis in Ukraine

Ukrainian embassies

• Ukraine: 527 (free from mobile phones), 0800505501 (free from landline phones), and  527 website.  
• Poland: +48 22 490 20 44,
• Lithuania: +370 525 14352,
• Slovakia: from abroad 00421 5263 0023, locally 0850 211 478, Telegram/Signal: 00421 908 767 853

Ukrainian Embassy

Phone: +38 (044) 238-16-57

When you arrive in Scotland

 There will be someone there to meet you if you arrive at: 

Edinburgh Airport

Glasgow Airport

Edinburgh Waverley train station 

Glasgow Central train station 

Cairnryan Ferry Port (by boat)  

Look for the Welcome Hub. There will be signs in the airport or train station to show you where to go.

Where you’ll be staying

Someone in the Hub will help find you a place to stay and how to get there.

They’ll also be able to give you information about other things you might need help with.

There is a problem

Thanks for your feedback

Your feedback helps us to improve this website. Do not give any personal information because we cannot reply to you directly.

We use cookies to help us give you the best experience on our website. All data collected is anonymous. Read our Privacy Policy

I accept and agree No thank you

Ukraine Advice Scotland

Ukraine advice scotland  .

The Ukraine Advice Scotland project has been funded by the Scottish Government since May 2022 to provide free, confidential legal advice and information to Ukrainians and their families on legal routes for seeking safety in Scotland.

From 1 st September, the service is moving from JustRight Scotland to the Scottish Refugee Council.

You can contact the free helpline on  0808 1967 274  or email us at  [email protected]

For more information about accessing the service, please visit: https://scottishrefugeecouncil.org.uk/ukraine-advice-scotland/

Frequently Asked Questions

I do not speak english, can you provide advice in other languages.

Our advice services operate in English, but we can provide legal advice in other languages, such as Ukrainian, Russian or Polish, via interpreters on our helpline.

I live in Scotland and have a question about sponsoring a Ukrainian refugee – can you provide advice?

We can only provide advice to Ukrainians and their family members who require help with understanding the legal immigration routes for seeking safety in Scotland.

If you have a query about sponsoring a Ukrainian refugee in Scotland, you can read further details here:  Homes for Ukraine

If you are looking for more information about the support available to Ukrainians arriving in Scotland, you can contact:   Scottish Refugee Council Ukraine Family Project  or by telephone on 0808 196 7274

I am not based in Scotland or am not planning to travel to Scotland, can you still provide advice?

This service is only for Ukrainians and their family members who are seeking safety in Scotland.  If you are seeking advice about travelling to other parts of the UK – England, Wales and Northern Ireland, you might be able to obtain assistance from these organisations:

• Ukraine Advice Project  by email to  [email protected]
• Here for Good  by completing this  online form
• Settled  (for EEA citizens and family members) – by email to  [email protected]

You can also read  this summary of current immigration routes  and concessions available to Ukrainians coming to the UK from  Free Movement .

Factsheet on Immigration and Asylum Legal Routes to Scotland

The following factsheet will help you better understand the key legal routes to safety in Scotland for Ukrainians and their family members.  The factsheet covers routes to safety for people outside of the UK, as well as for people who have already entered the UK, as well as answering questions about entry through the Republic of Ireland.

• Factsheet on Legal Routes to Scotland for Ukrainians – English
• Factsheet on Legal Routes to Scotland for Ukrainians – Ukrainian version
• Factsheet on Legal Routes to Scotland for Ukrainians – Russian version

Visa Delays – Frequently Asked Questions

• Arriving in Scotland – Frequently Asked Questions

Leaflets for Ukrainian Refugees

The following information will help you better understand the role of a sponsor, how to identify someone when you are unsure of their intentions or what to do if you are in a situation that feels uncomfortable.

Our leaflets – developed in partnership with the Trafficking Awareness Raising Alliance (TARA), are available in three languages: Ukrainian, Russian and English. To access our files, please click below:

• Leaflet for Ukrainian Refugees – Ukrainian version
• Leaflet for Ukrainian Refugees – Russian version
• Leaflet for Ukrainian Refugees – English version

This service is funded by the Scottish Government .

Legal Factsheets

Access to Education: Your Right to Study in Scotland  (PDF)

This factsheet provides a brief summary of your right to study in Scotland for people with different immigration statuses. This factsheet covers: access to pre-school, primary and secondary school; and access to further and higher education.

Asylum Seekers with Permission to Work  (PDF)

This factsheet provides information for asylum seekers in Scotland who have permission to carry out paid work while they wait for a decision on their asylum claim.

Factsheet – Information for Asylum Seekers with Permission to Work

• Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)
• عربي (Arabic)

Ukraine Advice Scotland – Arriving in Scotland – Frequently Asked Questions  (PDF)

This factsheet provides brief information about arriving in Scotland after your Homes for Ukraine Scheme visa is granted.

Ukraine Advice Scotland – Visa Delays – Frequently Asked Questions  (PDF)

This factsheet provides brief information about the issues with delay in the Homes for Ukraine Scheme.

Rights of Ukrainians seeking safety in Scotland – Access to Welfare Benefits (aged 66 or over)  (PDF)

Access to Welfare Benefits (aged 66 or over)

This factsheet provides a brief summary of the possible access to welfare benefits for people aged 66 and older, who are from Ukraine seeking safety in Scotland

Rights of Ukrainians seeking safety in Scotland – Access to Welfare Benefits (aged under 66)  (PDF)

Access to Welfare Benefits (aged under 66)

This factsheet provides a brief summary of the possible access to welfare benefits for people aged under 66, who are from Ukraine seeking safety in Scotland

Rights of Ukrainians seeking safety in Scotland – Access to Healthcare  (PDF)

Access to Healthcare

This factsheet provides a brief summary of your right to access National Health Service (NHS) healthcare for people from Ukraine who are seeking safety in Scotland

Rights of Ukrainians seeking safety in Scotland – Housing and Homelessness Support  (PDF)

Housing and Homelessness Support

This factsheet provides a brief summary of the Housing and Homelessness Support available to people from Ukraine who are seeking safety in Scotland.

Rights of Ukrainians seeking safety in Scotland – Right to Study  (PDF)

Right to Study

This factsheet provides a brief summary of the right to study for Ukrainians seeking safety in Scotland.

Rights of Ukrainians seeking safety in Scotland – Right to Work  (PDF)

Right to Work

This factsheet provides a brief summary of your right to work if you are arriving in Scotland from Ukraine.

EU Citizens and Your Right to Access Social Work Support  (PDF)

This factsheet provides a brief summary of your right to access benefits and social work support as an EU citizen in Scotland.

• Italiano (Italian)
• Español (Spanish)
• Polski (Polish)
• Lietuvių (Lithuanian)
• Română (Romanian)

EU Citizens and Your Right to Study  (PDF)

This factsheet provides a brief summary of your right to study as an EU citizen in Scotland.

EU Citizens and Your Right to Vote  (PDF)

This factsheet provides a brief summary of your right to vote as an EU citizen in Scotland.

EU Citizens and Your Right to NHS Healthcare  (PDF)

This factsheet provides a brief summary of your right to access NHS healthcare as an EU citizen in Scotland.

EU Citizens and Your Right to Work  (PDF)

This factsheet provides a brief summary of your right to work as an EU citizen in Scotland.

EU Citizens and Your Housing Rights  (PDF)

This factsheet provides a brief summary of your housing rights as an EU citizen in Scotland.

Rights of Reunited Family Members  (PDF)

This factsheet explains the rights and entitlements of the family members of refugees who have come to the UK through refugee family reunion.  It was written by our Scottish Family Reunion Service Scottish Family Reunion Service Referral Form .

What is Refugee Family Reunion?  (PDF)

This factsheet explains how a person who has been recognised as a refugee in the UK can apply to be reunited with family members still living abroad.  It was written by our Scottish Family Reunion Service Scottish Family Reunion Service Referral Form .

Press Releases & Briefings

Gaza family scheme: we signed a joint letter addressed to the home secretary  (word), second reading in the house of lords for the rwanda bill: we signed a joint statement with over 250 organisations  (word), press release on rwanda ruling: we signed a joint statement calling on the uk gov to abandon this plan  (word), press release: we call upon the scottish government to heed the recommendations of the equalities, human rights and civil justice committee’s report and take action to safeguard the human rights of the people attacked by the illegal migration act 2023  (word), statutory instruments allowing for the use of scientific methods to assess age: we signed a joint parliamentary briefing addressed to mps and peers  (word), illegal migration act: we signed a statement addressed to local authorities  (word), supporting and respecting the lives of lgbtq+ and women migrants: we signed a joint letter addressed to the uk prime minister  (word), #refugeebanbill: we signed a joint civil society statement on the passage of the bill  (word), #refugeebanbill: we signed a joint letter addressed to the scottish parliament’s presiding officer  (word), amendment on compliance with international obligations: we signed a joint briefing on the #refugeebanbill  (word), #refugeebanbill: we signed an open letter to the prime minister, calling on the uk government to scrap plans to lock up refugee children  (word), press release: scottish government must show ‘real leadership’ to stop uk government’s attack on human rights  (word), #refugeebanbill: coalition of human rights groups was not allowed to drop banner on westminster bridge  (word), #refugeebanbill: we signed an open letter in support of an amendment to remove albania from a list of ‘safe countries’  (word), house of lords, second reading: our joint civil society solidarity statement on the #refugeebanbill  (word), maryhill integration network and justright scotland shortlisted for national charity award  (word), house of lords, second reading: our joint briefing on the #refugeebanbill  (word), press release: experts call for political parties to pledge to better protect refugee victims of sexual and gender-based violence in 2024 manifestos  (word), #rightsremovalbill: we signed a joint letter addressed to the chair of the joint committee on human rights  (word), seasonal worker visa: we signed a joint letter calling on the uk government to take urgent action to address the risks of this scheme  (word), remedying the ‘asylum questionnaire’: we signed a joint letter addressed to the home secretary  (word), press release: access to higher education – a court case that has changed the rules for migrant students across scotland  (word), press release: over 1,800 ukrainians have contacted the ukraine advice scotland helpline. new data highlights the value of the ukraine humanitarian scheme in scotland  (word), joint statement on the urgent need to safeguard unaccompanied children  (word), press release – scottish parliament urged to probe impact of ‘rights removal bill’ on devolution  (word), justright scotland’s written briefing to the constitution, europe, external affairs and culture committee on the crisis in ukraine  (word), nationality and borders bill: fix family reunion  (word), open letter from the anti-trafficking sector regarding situation in ukraine  (word), nationality and borders bill: joint briefing on clause 31 “well-founded fear test”  (word), press release: 60+ scottish organisations unite against uk nationality and borders bill and ask msps to refuse legislative consent  (word), press release: glasgow social justice lawyers welcome announcement of legal aid for asylum seekers in scotland facing eviction by the home office  (word), policy consultation responses, scottish elections (representation and reform) bill: our response  (pdf), petition pe2049 to introduce buffer zones outside migrant accommodation: our response  (pdf), consultation on further and higher education financial support – changes to residency criteria: our response  (pdf), call for evidence from the joint committee on human rights on the rights of asylum seekers in the uk: our response  (pdf), incorporating the united nations convention on the rights of the child into scots law  (pdf), scottish court fees 2022-2025: human consortium scotland and scottish association of law centres joint response  (pdf), human rights act reform: our joint response with the human rights consortium scotland  (pdf), human rights act reform: our response  (pdf), human rights act reform: scottish association of law centres (salc) response  (pdf), justright scotland and children’s rights organisations: a statement on the nationality and borders bill  (pdf), submission on the aims and principles of the scottish covid-19 inquiry  (pdf), justright scotland and scottish refugee council briefing on the devolved impacts of the nationality and borders bill  (pdf), cover note and legal opinion of christine o’neill qc on the nationality and borders bill  (pdf), new plan for immigration 2021 – justcitizens response  (pdf), new plan for immigration 2021 – justright scotland response  (pdf), judicial review reform and the devolved jurisdictions  (pdf), briefing for third sector organisations in scotland responding to the uk govt’s new plan for immigration consultation  (pdf), the impact of the human rights act 1998 in scotland: a perspective from legal practice  (pdf), short guide for scottish civil society organisations on responding to the independent human rights act review  (pdf), the impact of the covid-19 pandemic on equalities and human rights in scotland (jrs)  (pdf), the impact of the covid-19 pandemic on equalities and human rights in scotland (justcitizens)  (pdf), impact of covid-19 on individuals with no recourse to public funds  (pdf), criminal injuries compensation scheme review 2020  (pdf), the uncrc (incorporation) (scotland) bill 2020  (pdf), proposed right to food (scotland) bill  (pdf), independent child trafficking guardians (section 11 of the human trafficking and exploitation (scotland) act 2015)  (pdf), scottish elections (franchise & representation) bill 2019  (pdf), legal aid reform in scotland  (pdf), female genital mutilation (protection and guidance) (scotland) bill 2019  (pdf), incorporation of the un convention on the rights of the child (uncrc)  (pdf), female genital mutilation (scotland) bill  (pdf), independent review of the modern slavery act 2015  (pdf), research reports, a site of resistance: an evaluation of the stop lock change evictions coalition  (pdf), appg migration inquiry into the impact of the eu settlement scheme on eu citizens in the uk  (pdf), guidance on the initial stage of age assessment  (pdf), reflections on the ukraine scheme in scotland: feedback from clients of ukraine advice scotland  (pdf), blog & news articles, ‘no recourse to public funds’ and migrant women living with abuse.

By Hanan El-Atrash In the UK, some migrants are subject to a condition called No Recourse to Public Funds or NRPF, which can have far reaching consequences for migrant women, particularly those living...

#RefugeeBanBill: What we are doing to stop the new UK Migration Bill

  JustRight Scotland has rejected the UK Government plan to proceed with a new Illegal [Migration] Bill which is due to have second reading today in the House of Commons.  We have explained the...

A joint statement on the Borders Bill “Not in our name”

In Scotland we have a proud history of protest, of raising our voices against the injustices that blight our society and speaking truth to power. We – the undersigned – are proud to work in a country ...

Access to Education is a Human Right for everyone: our #GradesNotVisas campaign is working to make this right real for all

  #OurGradesNotVisas campaign was conceived, created, implemented and launched last year by Ahmed Alhindi, a young migrant student who was unable to accept the offers he received from several...

Access to Healthcare for People with No Recourse to Public Funds

"Hello, can I please see your photo ID and proof of address, please?" This question was posed to participants upon arriving at the workshop ‘Access to Health and Social Care for people with No Recourse...

Access to Higher Education for migrant students is a fundamental right. Scottish Government’s Students’ Allowances (Scotland) Regulations now need to change

  by Maisie Wilson  For children and young people who moved to Scotland at a young age and built their lives in their communities, education is one of the first and most critical services they need...

Access to Higher Education for migrant students is now a real right

  JustRight Scotland has been campaigning - together with Maryhill Integration Network and JustCitizens, to extend the right to access education for migrant students in Scotland for over two years....

Access to Higher Education for migrant students: Welcomed update to Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) long residency rule

  by Maisie Wilson  The Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) have just announced a payment scheme for students who were ineligible for funding due to an unlawful long residence rule.  ...

Age assessment of young people: our new guidance to assist local authorities in Scotland

  by Francesca Sella   JustRight Scotland, together with the British Red Cross, have published a short guide on the initial stage of age assessment to assist local authorities in Scotland and...

An afternoon with Belgrade Centre for Human Rights

After months of preparation, JustRight Scotland opened its doors today! We got off to a quick start with an afternoon meeting with the Belgrade Centre for Human Rights at the offices of the Scottish...

Celebrate Refugee Festival Scotland with us and join our Roots of Refuge event

  We are happy to announce that – we are returning for a second year to celebrate Refugee Festival Scotland together with JustCitizens.   Our Roots of Refuge event will take place on Thursday 22nd...

Celebrate Refugee Week 2022 with us and come to our ‘Roots of Refuge’ event in Glasgow!

We are delighted to invite you to our celebratory community event for RefugeeWeek2022, the ‘Roots of Refuge’!  Completely free for all participants, the event will take place on the 23rd of June at the...

COVID-19 Policy and Migrants in Scotland

It seems like both forever – and simultaneously no time at all – since Scotland went into lockdown. And though we may now be talking about taking the first tentative steps towards lifting restrictions, the...

Deal or No Deal?  What EU Citizens in Scotland can do now to prepare for Brexit

Challenges for EU Citizens in Scotland: How to Prepare for Brexit? Faced with the continuing uncertainty around the Brexit settlement and the status of the Draft Withdrawal Agreement, our JustRight...

Destitution and Seeking Protection

In May 2017, the Scottish Parliament’s Equalities and Human Rights Committee (EHRiC) published a report on the findings of its recent inquiry on destitution and homelessness of asylum seekers and people...

EU Citizens and Access to Benefits: Time is Running Out for EU Citizens to Apply to the EU Settlement Scheme

  Gwyn King, our specialist welfare expert and Senior Associate Solicitor in our Scottish Just Law Centre (SJLC) warns that time is running out for EU citizens and their family members to apply to...

FGM: Breaking Down Barriers

Here are some things about Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) many people do not know: Women and girls in Scotland are at risk of FGM; This is not something that is based in any religion; and It is a...

Home Office ‘Activist Lawyers’ Tweet Shows Govt is Not Above the Law

Yesterday, the Home Office published a video on Twitter criticising the role of "activist lawyers" in abusing "rigid regulations" to "delay and disrupt" the removal of people "who have no right to remain

Human Rights Act reform: we reject the UK Government proposals

  JustRight Scotland has rejected the UK Government plans to replace the Human Rights Act (HRA) as announced last December.  We have been working – together with other Scottish civil society and ...

Immigration: Preparing for Brexit

On 08 September 2017 at the Royal Faculty of Procurators in Glasgow around 100 people (mainly immigration lawyers) gathered to hear about what Brexit means for immigration law, now and in the future. ...

Insight series – Part 3: a JustRight Intern

  Robyn’s role within our team We have partnered up with The Robertson Trust to welcome a group of interns into our JustRight Scotland team. Some of them have been working alongside our legal teams...

Introducing our new social enterprise: JRS Knowhow 

We are proud to announce the launch of our brand new social enterprise JRS Knowhow. The start-up social enterprise was created in April 2021, marking almost exactly four years since JustRight Scotland was set...

JRS is taking part in #16Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence

The 16 Days of Activism against gender-based violence is an international campaign that runs from today to the 10th of December, Human Rights Day. Originally created by activists, it continues to be...

JRS Spark: Brexit & Scotland – Migration Rights event report

As 29 March 2019 (the date that the UK officially leaves the European Union) looms closer and closer, many EEA nationals residing in Scotland are still unsure on how their migration status and rights ...

JustRight Scotland gave written evidence to the Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee on the crisis in Ukraine

  We have given written evidence to the Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee of the Scottish Parliament on the crisis in Ukraine on 13 June 2022. From the data our legal...

JustRight Scotland launches Ukraine Advice Scotland advice line

  JustRight Scotland has officially launched a new free, confidential advice line called Ukraine Advice Scotland. This project, funded by the Scottish Government, is fully operative and will provide...

JustRight Scotland: Our statement on the Migration Bill

  JustRight Scotland is deeply dismayed by the Migration Bill introduced this week by the UK Government. This Bill marks a new low in the current government’s assault on all our human rights – it...

Legal opinion: the legal implications of the [Illegal] Migration Bill in Scotland

  by Sabrina Galella  Together with the Scottish Refugee Council (SRC) and the Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland (CYPCS), we commissioned a legal opinion from Kay Springham KC, to...

Legal Opinion: What does the Nationality and Borders Bill mean for devolution in Scotland?

Sabrina Galella, Policy & Public Affairs Officer at JustRight Scotland.   JustRight Scotland and Scottish Refugee Council jointly commissioned a legal opinion from Christine O’Neill QC and her...

Making Human Rights Justice a Reality Report shines a light on systemic barriers to justice and how to break them

  by Maisie Wilson   Over the past few months, we have been working with the Human Rights Consortium Scotland (HRCS) on their latest report Make Human Rights Justice a Reality, along with Clan...

Migrant Young People and SAAS

Thanks to our JustRight intern, Niamh Grahame, for writing this blog. Starting university can be a stressful time for any young person. This stress is often amplified for migrant young people in Scotland....

Migrants Deserve Less Rhetoric and More Action

Over the last week we have seen many from across our Parliaments take a knee and tweet messages of their commitment to tackling racism, with the backdrop of disproportionate Covid-19 deaths across the...

My experience as Legal Caseworker for the Ukraine Advice Scotland project

  By Steven Lynch  I have been working as Legal Caseworker for our Ukraine Advice Scotland project since July. I applied for this position because the role was in an area of law that I was interested...

My first 6 months as Legal Trainee and Justice First Fellow

  by Eilidh Turnbull In January, I started my legal traineeship at JustRight Scotland. A legal traineeship is a two-year period of in-office training, which you do after studying law at university....

My first-year anniversary as Legal Caseworker for the Scottish Just Law Centre

My role at JustRight Scotland  As of the start of 2023, I have been with JustRight Scotland for a year, working as a Legal Caseworker for the Scottish Just Law Centre (SJLC). And what a year it has...

New Collaborations for Children!

We have recently been awarded a grant of funding from Unbound Philanthropy for JustRight for Refugee Children to establish two new collaborations! Unbound Philanthropy is a private grant-making foundation...

New Plan for Immigration Consultation: A Briefing for Scottish Civil Society Organisations

On 24 March 2021, the UK Government published its New Plan for Immigration, which sets out various proposals for changes to nationality, immigration and asylum law.  The consultation invites members of...

New Plan for Immigration Consultation: Our Response

On 24 March 2021, the UK Government published its New Plan for Immigration, which sets out various proposals for changes to nationality, immigration and asylum law. JustRight Scotland and our JustCitizens...

New report, to be launched in Scotland, sheds light upon forced migrants’ experiences of sexual and gender-based violence

  On the 7th December, SEREDA Scotland will launch its findings into the experiences of forced migrant survivors of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and the services they rely on. Led by the...

New: Factsheet on reunited family members

Our Scottish Family Reunion Service (SFRS) has published a new factsheet on the rights of reunited family members once they are in the UK.  Immigration law in the UK is more complex than ever and is in...

Now is the time to show the Home Office the door

PRESS RELEASE After Thursday's events in Glasgow, where the community successfully intervened to protect two migrants, JustRight Scotland has written to the First Minister and Justice Minister calling...

Our Worker Support Centre is now available to all seasonal horticultural workers in Scotland

We are delighted to announce the launch of our new Worker Support Centre. Funded by the Scottish Government, this Centre is available to all workers on the Seasonal Workers Visa (SWV) in Scotland including...

Part 1: What on earth is age assessment?

This is the first in a 2 part blog on age assessments of unaccompanied asylum seeking children. At the Scottish Refugee & Migrant Centre our lawyers are specialists in age assessments. If you don’t...

Part 2: Top Tips for Age Assessment

This is part 2 of our blog series on age assessment, written by our JustRight intern Niamh Grahame. To read part 1, click here. As we covered in part 1, there is no single reliable method for carrying...

Response to Independent Review on the Human Rights Act

We have submitted a response to the Independent Review of the Human Rights Act 1998 (HRA), in response to its call for evidence which closed on 3 March 2021. Our submission makes it clear that we see ...

Rwanda Plan is unlawful: We welcome the outcome of the UK Supreme Court

  We welcome the UK Supreme Court’s judgment which has found the so called ‘Rwanda Plan’ to be unlawful. The UK Government must now urgently rethink its [Illegal] Migration Act and scrap this cruel,...

Scotland rejects the Refugee Ban Bill

  JustRight Scotland and Scottish Refugee Council have joined forces to launch the first step of a Scottish campaign which aimed to stop the #RefugeeBanBill and get other organisations involved in...

Scotland’s Super Sponsor Scheme for Ukrainians paused

  The Scottish government has announced that Scotland’s Homes For Ukraine Super Sponsor Scheme will be paused from 9:00am on Wednesday 13 July 2022. The Welsh Super Sponsor Scheme is already paused...

Scottish Family Reunion Legal Service

  From 1 August 2017, JustRight Scotland has been funded by Unbound Philanthropy to deliver a Scottish Family Reunion Legal Service in collaboration with the British Red Cross.   Unbound...

Scottish Government consultation on Electoral Reform: What we say in our response

  JustRight Scotland submitted its response to the Scottish Government consultation on Electoral Reform in Scotland. Additionally, we submitted a separate joint response  with Maryhill Integration...

Scottish Government’s consultation on changes to residency criteria for access to financial support in Further and Higher Education: our say

JustRight Scotland has submitted a response to the Scottish Government’s consultation on the proposed changes to residency criteria for access to financial support in Further and Higher Education. The...

Scottish human rights organisations unite to reject “unnecessary, regressive and divisive” plans to replace Human Rights Act

Responding to the UK Government’s announcement today that it plans to replace the Human Rights Act, five leading Scottish human rights organisations have released a joint statement calling the proposals...

Stamping Out NRPF in Scotland

By Talat Yaqoob The news stories of the increasingly dangerous and dehumanising policies being considered by the Home Office have continued to dominate another week in the press. We know that these...

The UK-Rwandan Plan: an agreement to trade people

  Andy Sirel, Scottish Refugee & Migrant Centre The Memorandum of Understanding between the UK Government and the Republic of Rwanda, announced on 14th April, is an agreement to trade in people....

The Worker Support Centre is now transitioning to a new sustainable phase

  JustRight Scotland (JRS) has hosted the Worker Support Centre (WSC) for its first six months of operation from May 2022 to October 2022 as part of a long-term plan focused on providing initial ...

Ukraine Advice Scotland Survey – Views of Ukrainians Arriving in Scotland in 2022

Since March, our Ukraine Advice Scotland team have answered over 1,800 enquiries by providing legal advice to those who arrived or are due to arrive in Scotland, along with those acting as hosts.  Set...

Using the Law to Challenge Discrimination: Migrant Access to Further Education & Unlawful Disclosure of Gender History by NHS

  Gwyn King, Senior Solicitor in our Scottish Just Law Centre, highlights two recent cases where we helped clients to use the law to successfully challenge discrimination:   Barriers to Migrant...

We call upon the Scottish Government to heed the recommendations of the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee’s report and take action to safeguard the human rights of the people attacked by the Illegal Migration Act 2023

We welcome the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee’s recommendations published in their latest report about asylum seekers in Scotland. In particular, we support the Committee’s strong...

Designed by The Port Creative

All rights reserved 2024

Ukraine response one year on

Posted on February 22, 2023 | Category : News

One year on, we look back on our response to the war against ukraine..

In February 2022, the world watched on in horror as Russia launched a full-scale war of aggression against the people of Ukraine. Since the fighting began, thousands of lives have been lost and millions of people have been uprooted from their homes.

When the Homes For Ukraine scheme launched in March 2022, thousands of people across Scotland signed up to host Ukrainian refugees. The Scottish Government became a ‘super sponsor’ enabling people fleeing the war to secure visas without having to arrange a private sponsor first.

In the last 12 months, nearly 23,000 people fleeing the war against Ukraine have arrived in Scotland in search of safety.

We have helped shape Scotland’s emergency response and expanded our services to offer information, advice and support to even more people at this crucial moment. Here are some of the ways we’re helping.

Standing up for the rights of seasonal workers

When the war broke out, seasonal workers from Ukraine who were in the UK on temporary visas were left in limbo. Unable to return to their war-torn homes, traumatised people were faced with the possibility of remaining in the UK with nowhere to live and no way of earning a living once their visas expired.

We successfully campaigned for the Home Office to give seasonal workers from Ukraine the right to live and work in the UK for up to three years.

Welcoming new arrivals

We’ve recruited a team of dedicated volunteers to help us meet and greet Ukrainians arriving at Glasgow airport.

With their support, we’ve welcomed more than 1,200 men, women and children since March 2022. Our volunteers offer a friendly face for people who often arrive exhausted and traumatised. They provide essential information and accompanying new arrivals to the nearby hub run by Renfrewshire Council Resettlement Team.

Tetiana came to Scotland in July and was soon volunteering to greet other Ukrainians when they arrived.

She said: “The best thing is feeling that you are useful and can help somebody. I know how it feels when you come to a strange country for the first time. You don’t know what tomorrow will be or where you will stay. It’s really scary.

“When I arrived, I was so scared.   I had read about what to do but I didn’t know how it would be. It’s really great when there’s someone you can ask. Even more when they can speak to you in your own language.”  

Hear more from some of our amazing meet and greet volunteers.

Since the war began, 29% of calls to our national helpline have been about the situation in Ukraine. Between March and December 2022, our helpline advisers answered close to 3,000 calls and emails relating to Ukraine.

We’re responding to queries from people fleeing Ukraine, people who have volunteered to host new arrivals, and organisations across Scotland that are providing support.

Viktor* first contacted our helpline before making the journey to Scotland. Our advisers were able to reassure him and provide holistic support. He and his family are now settling in to their new community and are very grateful for the advice they’ve received.

He said: “I would like to tell you many thanks from my family. When we arrived to UK you helped us a lot at a time when we were confused and did not understand what we needed to do.”

Empowering Ukrainian communities

We’re working with local authorities, the public sector, refugee-supporting groups and people arriving from Ukraine to create Community Integration Networks across Scotland. These networks bring a range of partners together to work at a community level to ensure Ukrainians are represented and can access the support and services they need.

Ukrainian Community Integration Networks have been established in Dundee, Glasgow, the Highlands and Perth and Kinross. And talks about starting new networks are underway in communities across Scotland.

We’ve also established a Ukrainian Collective to represent Ukrainians living in Scotland and advocate on their behalf. The group is made up of volunteers from Ukraine who come together to discuss key issues affecting their communities. They then come up with practical solutions which will inform and influence the Scottish Government and other service providers.

Community Development Officer, Andrii Nadych, helps coordinate the Collective. He said: “It’s not just about consulting people about the challenges they are facing but also asking for their input on solutions that could help them and others in their communities.”

Read more about how we’re supporting Ukrainian communities in Scotland.

Helping people feel at home in Scotland

Our integration team is supporting more than 460 households from Ukraine to settle and feel at home in communities across Scotland.

We hold regular information sessions to ensure that new arrivals understand their rights and know how to access vital services. More than 790 people have attended our sessions.

We’re providing vital information and advice on everything from enrolling children in school and registering for healthcare, to setting up a bank account, applying for benefits and finding work. We also make people aware of  housing options and work with local authorities and hosts in communities across Scotland to help Ukrainians find suitable accommodation.

Nastasiya* recently arrived from Ukraine. She told us: “I would like to thank you for your understanding, support and help. Moving to Scotland is a big challenge for each of us, but with your help we manage to integrate quickly.” 

Find out more about our Ukraine response and the support we provide

Our work is only possible thanks to people like you. donate now to help us reach more people seeking safety in scotland with vital services and support. .

*Some names have been changed to protect identities

Author: Rachel Lamb

Recent posts, putting the fun into fundraising – meet kate and lauren.

Ever wondered what it’s like to be a fundraiser? Meet Kate and Lauren, two amazing…

Scottish Refugee Council to launch new Scotland-wide support service

We are rolling out a Refugee Support Service to help people seeking safety in Scotland…

Refugee Festival Scotland Media Awards open for entries

This year’s Refugee Festival Scotland Media Awards are now open to submissions. The awards celebrate…

Free bus travel for people seeking asylum

£2 million will be made available in next year’s budget to progress free bus travel for people seeking asylum in Scotland.

It follows an announcement in the 2022-2023 Programme for Government that the Scottish Government would “work with third sector partners and local authorities to consider how best to provide free bus travel to asylum seekers and refugees including displaced people from Ukraine.”

Around a third of people seeking asylum in Scotland are thought to already be eligible for the existing National Concessionary Travel Schemes through age or disability criteria. Work will continue to progress with establishing the most appropriate way to extend this to all people seeking asylum.

Minister for Zero Carbon Buildings, Active Travel and Tenants’ Rights Patrick Harvie said:

“Free bus travel has the power to tackle inequality, respond to the climate emergency and improve lives through decisive government action.

“Every day, we hear from people whose lives are literally being transformed by our concessionary travel schemes – from families on low incomes to children and young people who are now able to take up new opportunities.

“So I’m delighted that the Scottish Government will continue to progress work with partners in the third sector and local government to seek to make free bus travel available to people seeking asylum in Scotland.

“I hope that together we can help create new opportunities, protect our climate and reduce financial barriers for the people who need it most, right across the country.”

Decisions on the Government’s spending plans for 2024-25 and future years are subject to the outcome of the Scottish Budget process and associated approval by the Scottish Parliament.  The Scottish Government intends to present the Draft Budget 2024-25 to Parliament on Tuesday 19 December 2023.

• Bus & Active Travel

16 Mar 2022

Greens propose free public transport for refugees

Those fleeing the way in Ukraine, as well as other refugees and asylum seekers in Scotland, should be provided with free access to public transport, the Scottish Greens have said.

Scottish Greens external affairs spokesperson Ross Greer raised the point in response to the First Minister’s announcement of Scottish Government plans to welcome and support Ukrainian refugees to Scotland.

Speaking afterwards, Ross Greer said:

“As the Ukraine crisis has highlighted, refugees often come to Scotland with nothing more than the clothes they are wearing and get almost no support from the UK Home Office. Public and privately-owned bus and rail operators across mainland Europe have offered free transport to those fleeing the war in Ukraine. We should replicate that practical solidarity here and extend it to all those seeking refuge here, whether they are from Ukraine, Afghanistan, Syria or anywhere else.

“The Scottish Government’s powers are limited when it comes to supporting refugees, but this is something we are capable of delivering and the recent extension of free bus travel to under-22s shows what a difference it can make to family budgets. For asylum seeking families forced to survive on just a few pounds a day, it would be transformational.”

SPICe Spotlight | Solas air SPICe

Displaced Ukrainians in Scotland – seven months on

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has led to nearly one third of Ukrainians being displaced from their homes . By 11 October 2022, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees estimated that more than 7.6 million Ukrainians had been displaced across Europe.

Immigration and asylum are reserved matters but the Scottish Government supports refugees and other displaced people in Scotland to access services like healthcare and education. The Scottish Government sets out its approach in the New Scots strategy . This blog analyses the Scottish Government’s involvement in the operation of the Homes for Ukraine Scheme seven months after it was introduced.

This is an extended blogpost, so we’ve added a contents popout below to help readers navigate around the blog.

Displaced Ukrainians in the UK

The UK Government resisted calls to waive visa requirements for displaced Ukrainians. Instead, it established two new visa schemes in March 2022, the Ukraine Family Scheme, and the Homes for Ukraine Scheme.

Ukraine Family Scheme

The Ukraine Family Scheme allows those eligible to live, work and study in the UK, and access public funds for up to three years. To be eligible, applicants must have lived in Ukraine prior to January 2022, and either be Ukrainian and have a UK-based family member, or be the family member of a Ukrainian citizen who is also accessing the scheme.

Homes for Ukraine Scheme

The Homes for Ukraine Scheme , sometimes called the Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme, provides the same rights, however, it does not require a family connection to the UK. Instead, displaced Ukrainians can be sponsored by individual hosts or organisations who are able offer accommodation for a minimum of six months, in return for £350 a month.

For readability, we use the term ‘displaced Ukrainians’ to refer to people who have been displaced from Ukraine by the invasion, even though non-Ukrainian close family members of eligible Ukrainian nationals applying to the schemes can also apply , as long as they were residing in Ukraine on or immediately before January 2022.

You can read more about these visa schemes in our previous blog . In addition, the UK Government announced an Extension Scheme in May for displaced Ukrainians who held a valid UK visa on or after 1 January 2022.

The UK Government provides figures on the uptake of the Ukraine visa schemes. As of 11 October 2022,

• 53,800 Family Scheme visas
• 137,200 Homes for Ukraine Scheme visas
• 12,300 Extension Scheme visas

were granted for the whole of the UK. No information is available about the number of Ukraine Family Scheme or Extension Scheme visas granted to those with family members in Scotland specifically, nor the numbers of displaced Ukrainians who have arrived in Scotland on such visas. Consequently, this blog focusses on the operation of the Homes for Ukraine Scheme.

The Scottish Government as a supersponsor

On 16 March 2022, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced that the Scottish Government would act as a supersponsor for the Homes for Ukraine Scheme. This meant that displaced Ukrainians could nominate the Scottish Government as their sponsor instead of needing to be matched with individual sponsors before being able to enter the UK. Once they arrive, the Scottish Government provides temporary accommodation while displaced Ukrainians are matched with, or look for, longer-term accommodation. The Supersponsor Scheme was in operation from 18 March to 13 July 2022, when it was temporarily paused . Applications that were submitted before the scheme was paused are still being processed and displaced Ukrainians whose visas have been granted can continue to travel to the UK. The Supersponsor Scheme remains paused to date.

According to provisional data released by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities , 35,357 visas granted through the Homes for Ukraine Scheme by 11 October 2022 named a Scottish sponsor. Of those with visas granted, 20,591 displaced Ukrainians with Scottish sponsors had arrived – 16,868 sponsored by the Scottish Government and 3,723 by individual sponsors.

How has the Homes for Ukraine Scheme been going?

The Scottish Parliament’s Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee has been scrutinising how the Scottish Government is supporting displaced Ukrainians. It received submissions from the Scottish Refugee Council , JustRight Scotland , COSLA , Highland Council , and Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership .  The evidence provided to the Committee highlighted several issues facing displaced Ukrainians in the UK. Witnesses expressed concerns about pressures on temporary accommodation, delays in the matching process, and possible safeguarding issues with individual hosts.

The Committee also heard from Yevhen Mankovskyi , Ukraine’s acting Consul General in Edinburgh, on 16 June 2022. The Committee summarised issues they received evidence on in a letter to Neil Gray MSP, the Scottish Government Minister with special responsibility for Refugees from Ukraine, on 27 June 2022. The Committee drew particular attention to issues around finding longer-term accommodation, transport, and funding for councils making resettlement plans. The Committee received a response on 30 June 2022 in which the Minister reiterated his commitment to securing longer-term accommodation and confirmed that a mechanism for payments to local authorities had been agreed with the UK Government.

The Supersponsor Scheme has been paused since 13 July 2022. The Scottish Government stated that over two thirds of the 7,000 displaced Ukrainians that had arrived in Scotland by that point had applied through the scheme, which “exceeds the 3,000 the Scottish Government committed to welcome when the scheme launched in March” and that “a temporary suspension [was] needed to ensure safe accommodation can continue to be provided to those who have already applied and may now travel to Scotland” . The Welsh Government had previously established its own Supersponsor Scheme but then paused it on 10 June 2022 citing similar capacity issues.

The Scottish Government stated:

“We will review our position in three months, but of course if circumstances change during that time we will bring that date forward. In the meantime we are taking significant action to increase the capacity of our temporary accommodation and are also boosting our matching system to maximise the number of displaced people placed with volunteer hosts who have completed the necessary safeguarding checks.”

The actions the Scottish Government announced included hiring a cruise ship to provide temporary accommodation, providing funding to facilitate the refurbishment of 200 unused council properties in North Lanarkshire, and deploying additional staff to local authorities to speed up the matching process. The cruise ship, docked in Edinburgh, has a capacity of 2,200 people and has been accommodating displaced Ukrainians since July 2022.

September 2022 update

On 8 September 2022, Neil Gray provided an update on displaced people from Ukraine through a Ministerial statement to the Scottish Parliament. He confirmed that the Scottish Government was hiring a second cruise ship to provide temporary accommodation. It is docked in Glasgow and has capacity for 1,750 people.

With regards to delays in the matching process, he stated:

“Matching has progressed more slowly than I would wish, and I continue to urge local authorities to complete checks as quickly as possible […]”.

He outlined several additional measures being taken by the Scottish Government to address these issues, which include:

• funding additional staff in local authorities to speed up the allocation of longer-term accommodation
• implementing a digital matching tool
• planning measures to recruit additional hosts
• working with partners to secure new longer-term accommodation.

On 22 September 2022, Neil Gray also announced a £50 million resettlement fund for local authorities and registered social landlords. The funding will be used to refurbish properties and bring them into use as longer-term accommodation for displaced Ukrainians.

How many of those with Homes for Ukraine visas granted have arrived in Scotland so far?

Provisional data from 11 October 2022 shows that while 20,591 displaced Ukrainians have arrived so far, 35,357 visas naming a Scottish sponsor have been issued through the Homes for Ukraine Scheme.

While the number of applications made through the Homes for Ukraine Scheme levelled off after the Supersponsor Scheme was paused, the number of arrivals, specifically of displaced Ukrainians sponsored by the Scottish Government, has not.  This is shown in the graph below.

Security of hosted accommodation

Displaced Ukrainians can be matched with hosts in Scotland either by being directly sponsored by them, or by being sponsored by the Scottish Government and then subsequently matched to a host offering accommodation. To volunteer, hosts are required to offer accommodation for at least six months. Given that the Homes for Ukraine Scheme started in March 2022, the initial period for accommodation for those who volunteered at the beginning of the scheme is now ending.

Concerns about long-term accommodation for displaced Ukrainians staying with hosts had previously been raised by Positive Action in Housing. In September, Neil Gray MSP told the Parliament that the UK Government was contacting hosts to encourage them to extend their offer of accommodation and also confirmed that he was supporting the previous UK Minister for Refugees’ call to double the payments for hosts to £700.

No specific data is currently available for what proportion of displaced Ukrainians in Scotland are at risk of losing their accommodation from hosts in the coming months. The Office for National Statistics conducted a survey of individual Homes for Ukraine sponsors across the UK. Sixty-three per cent of hosts indicated that they were planning to provide accommodation for 12 months or less. However, it should be noted that only five per cent of sponsors surveyed were in Scotland and the survey was conducted in July 2022.

Data provided by the Scottish Government indicates that by mid-September 2022, 4,495 people who were granted visas through the Homes for Ukraine Scheme had arrived in ‘longer-term’ accommodation. Accommodation counts as longer-term if it is expected that displaced Ukrainians will be able to stay for between six and twelve months. The number of people in longer-term accommodation includes some who are being accommodated in social housing . In addition, this number doesn’t include displaced Ukrainians who have made alternative arrangements, for example by renting privately, staying with friends or family, or some who have found hosts informally. Consequently, it is unclear how many displaced Ukrainians are being hosted by private individuals. However, given that the numbers of Ukrainians arriving in the UK through the scheme peaked in May 2022 , it is possible that significant numbers could be needing alternative accommodation from autumn 2022.

Displaced Ukrainians in different types of accommodation

The Scottish Government also provides figures on displaced Ukrainians in temporary ‘Welcome accommodation’, which includes hotel rooms and cruise ship cabins. Their estimates suggest that about 6,540 people were in Welcome accommodation by mid-September 2022. The figures on displaced Ukrainians in longer-term accommodation and those in Welcome accommodation add up to 11,035 individuals but the total number of arrivals with a Scottish sponsor by 13 September 2022 through the Homes for Ukraine Scheme was 17,582.

The Scottish Government notes that matching data :

“is incomplete and may underestimate the total number of completed and currently active matches because some Local Authorities have returned partial data on matches and Local Authorities may not be aware of all the informal matches in their area ”.

Further, it is important to point out that displaced Ukrainians who arrived in the UK with a Scottish sponsor are not required to stay in Scotland but may travel to other parts of the UK or abroad. In addition, not everyone sponsored by the Scottish Government or entering the UK through the Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme will need accommodation provided to them.  It is possible that some will have made their own arrangements, including renting their own accommodation or staying with friends and family. It also appears that the figures on displaced Ukrainians in Welcome accommodation do not yet include individuals being housed on the second cruise ship in Glasgow. Nevertheless, the currently available data contains no information about what category of accommodation the remaining 6,547 people that arrived through the Homes for Ukraine Scheme with Scottish sponsors by mid-September were in.

Annie Bosse, SPICe Research

Blog image: “ Lost ” by  toniwbusch  is licensed under  CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 .

This blog was originally published on 14 October 2022 and updated on 27 October 2022. Updates include:

• the inclusion of arrival figures from 13th instead of 20th September 2022 in the last three paragraphs
• additional qualifications on figures about the number of displaced Ukrainians in longer-term accommodation

Share this:

Discover more from spice spotlight | solas air spice.

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Type your email…

Continue reading

SNP ministers 'considering' offering free public transport to Ukrainian refugees in Scotland

MSPs pushed SNP minister Neil Gray on whether free travel could be extended beyond those coming as a result of the war in Ukraine.

• 12:36, 24 MAR 2022

Refugees arriving in Scotland could soon be given free public transport.

Neil Gray, the minister overseeing the arrival of Ukrainians , told MSPs today the government is "considering" free transport for those who arrive in the country.

Ukrainians seeking sanctuary in Scotland are currently provided free temporary hotel accommodation if they need it as well as a "welcome pack" with information about employment and welfare rights.

Scottish Green MSP Mark Ruskell and Scottish Labour 's Paul Sweeney pushed Gray on whether free travel could be extended beyond those coming as a result of the war in Ukraine.

Ruskell asked Gray : "I had a specific question about the introduction of free public transport for those seeking asylum as well as those with refugee status as well.

"I think it's really important that it's not restricted just to Ukrainian people but for people from across the world.

"So, a confirmation that you are considering that would be would be very useful about the eligibility of free travel."

In response, the minister said: "Yes, it's something that's under consideration and pay tribute to colleagues around the table who have been working on this."

While, John Primrose, deputy director of international relations at the Scottish Government, told the committee: "The free real travel that's available to Ukrainians are looking to come to Scotland that connects to UK routes, and that we're actively monitoring the availability of that free transport.

Scottish politics

"There's also obviously free transport from the hubs that's being provided to the accommodation for the Ukrainians.

"We're constantly monitoring the availability of transport options for those that are looking to come to Scotland."

Earlier in the hearing Tory MSP Donald Cameron asked Gray how many Ukrainians had already arrived in Scotland, however the minister was unable to give a figure due to data issues.

He said: "The honest answer to that Mr Cameron is we don't know yet, and that was part of the conversation that we needed to have with Lord Harrington.

"The data flows have not started as the way we have wanted them to start as yet.

"I don't believe the UK Government is holding it back from us. I just believe that the speed at which the system has been created from First Minister's conception on one Friday to launch the following Friday.

"Getting the system up and running has taken time, but we are pressing very hard to ensure that we get that data to us as quickly as possible."

To sign up to the Daily Record Politics newsletter, click here .

• Scottish Green Party
• Scottish Labour
• Scottish Government
• Refugee crisis
• Most Recent

• International edition
• Australia edition
• Europe edition

Concern for health of Ukrainians aboard Scotland’s ‘floating refugee camps’

Campaigners alarmed by reports of scarlet fever outbreaks

The physical and mental health of Ukrainian refugees living on ships in Glasgow and Edinburgh – branded “floating refugee camps” – are being put in danger, amid reports of residents being quarantined with scarlet fever.

A man told the Observer that he and his son had spent a week inside a cabin on board MS Ambition earlier this month after the young child was diagnosed with the highly contagious bacterial infection.

He said he knew of at least one other case on board, while another parent living on the ship said the children’s play area had been closed for two weeks to prevent children getting sick. All of those the Observer talked to said there had not been any official announcements about scarlet fever on the vessel.

Others said many on the ship were suffering from coughs and stomach upsets. Other residents also told the Observer that they were unable to open their windows due to the smell coming from a nearby waste facility and that they had faced difficulties getting their children to school.

Chartered by the Scottish government to house up to 1,750 Ukrainians on the River Clyde in Glasgow as part of a £100m scheme, the Ambition is moored in the industrial surroundings of King George V dock, which residents can only leave via shuttle bus. Another vessel, MS Victoria I, is moored in Leith.

Announcing Scotland’s “super-sponsor” scheme for Ukrainian refugees in March, the first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, said it would provide an “uncapped commitment” to support at least 10% of the total number arriving in the UK.

“We will provide temporary accommodation and then, with people already safely here and wrapped in a warm Scottish welcome, we will work at speed with partners – local councils, the Scottish Refugee Council, the NHS, Disclosure Scotland and others – to complete safeguarding checks, put in place wider health, education, practical and befriending support, and arrange longer term accommodation,” she said.

But campaigners and opposition parties have warned that the health and safety of refugees is being put at risk by being forced to remain in what was intended to be temporary accommodation.

Some of the ship’s 714 cabins, where families are living in cramped conditions, are understood not to have windows. Refugees on the ship, which is believed to be housing at least 1,200, are not allowed to walk around outside it. Security workers told the Observer it was a “highly restricted area” and that it was dangerous to walk through. Construction vehicles move around nearby and building materials lie around.

To leave the site, residents must take shuttle buses either to the gates or to Braehead shopping centre, in a nearby retail park. The city centre is a 40-minute bus journey away from the ship. To receive visitors on the boat, residents must arrange an appointment.

The Scottish government earlier this year awarded a contract of up to £100m to Corporate Travel Management (CTM) to provide travel services for displaced people from Ukraine , including accommodation in hotels and on MS Ambition and MS Victoria I.

Alex Cole-Hamilton, the leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats and MSP for Edinburgh Western, said: “Ultimately, while everyone is trying to make the best of it, this is a floating refugee camp and infection control is much harder than it is in the community, and this suggestion that there’s a scarlet fever outbreak is not surprising because we know that cruise ships can be huge pathogens for viruses to spread like wildfire.”

Cole-Hamilton, who visited the Leith ship in September after initially having his trip blocked by the Scottish government, said a refugee agency based in Lviv told him the Scottish government was “humiliatingly underprepared”.

He added: “They wanted the kudos for being seen to open the Scottish borders to Ukrainians, and rightly so, but they did none of the homework.”

When he visited the Leith ship he said he asked about infection control and found out that following a small Covid outbreak some residents had been housed in a separate corridor.

Sarah Boyack, for Scottish Labour, said: “These shocking reports expose the truth behind the empty promises both of our governments made to Ukrainian refugees. They were promised safety here, but they have been failed time and time again. It defies belief that the SNP ever thought this ship was the best place to home people fleeing war. We urgently need a real plan to get people the safe, secure accommodation they need.”

Robina Qureshi, chief executive of the refugee charity Positive Action in Housing, said reports of infections were “very concerning”. “On health and safety grounds alone, people should be advised of the risks they and their children and babies could be exposed to so they can take their own precautions to stay safe,” she said.

UNHCR UK said it was “seeking further information from the Scottish government”.

The Scottish government declined to comment on reports of scarlet fever, saying it was a matter for Glasgow city council, which would have notified Public Health Scotland and the Scottish government if required. It said the health and wellbeing of people on the ships was “our priority” and that elected officials had been able to visit both vessels.

A source said earlier this month dozens of children had had to walk to school because they were told there was no budget for school buses. Over the last 10 days they said they had heard concerns about scarlet fever.

Meanwhile, in a report submitted to a charity, a disabled couple living on the ship warned: “Life on a ship puts our health at risk.”

A male resident from Kyiv, who has been on the ship for three weeks, said he had heard of residents getting sick with cough and stomach upsets. Although he would rather live in a house, he said, the ship was “better than bombs”. The interview was then interrupted by security, who asked the Observer to leave the premises, saying “you have no right to be here”.

Ukrainian charity Opora said: “The difficulties around finding affordable and sustainable housing are definitely widespread and ongoing.” In a survey late last month of Ukrainian refugees in the UK, of close to 3,500 respondents, only 8% had found private housing.

“This is concerning because the options outside of the private rental sector are generally not appropriate for long-term stay or do not provide long term stability and security, which is a barrier to people being able to successfully rebuild their lives in the UK,” said trustee Stan Beneš.

The Scottish government said it was “providing temporary accommodation that is safe and sustainable until people can be matched to suitable longer-term accommodation”.

“We do not want to see anyone spend more time in temporary accommodation than is absolutely necessary. Work continues to match those on board the ships to host and longer-term accommodation, and matching teams are operating on board both ships.”

Public Health Scotland said it had a “robust surveillance system in place for monitoring infections in Scotland” but that it was a matter for the local NHS board.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said: “There are clear infection control processes in place on the MS Ambition. No concerns about an outbreak have been reported to the health board. The board does not comment on individual cases.”

Glasgow city council said its staff “have been providing social care, educational support and a range of appropriate safety checks. The council is not the provider of the accommodation and we have no expertise on communicable diseases”.

A spokesperson added: “We continue to use buses to transport children to schools across the city where the distances from the MS Ambition to those schools are beyond the statutory walking distances. “For an initial period, where space was available, schoolchildren on the MS Ambition were bused to school even if their schools were within the statutory walking limits. “Pupils at schools within statutory walking limits can now use the National Entitlement Card to gain free access to public transport or make their own way to school, which is the standard for all other pupils.”

• The Observer

Most viewed

GOV.WALES uses cookies which are essential for the site to work. Non-essential cookies are also used to tailor and improve services. By continuing to use this site, you agree to our use of cookies.

Free bus and train travel advice for refugees

Free bus and train travel advice across Wales for refugees.

• Buses and concessionary travel (Sub-topic) ,
• Community cohesion (Sub-topic) and
• Ukraine (Sub-topic)

The Welcome Ticket scheme ended on 1 April 2024 and is no longer available. You will now need to pay for travel on bus and train services in Wales.

You may be eligible for one of the free or discounted travel schemes also available if you are: 

• 60 years or over 
• a disabled passenger
• a child or young person 

For further information on these and other discounted travel tickets please see  Traveline Cymru or contact your local bus operator.

For learner transport, further information is available on accessing transport for  statutory school age and  post-16 learners.

First published

Last updated, share this page.

• Share this page via Twitter
• Share this page via Facebook
• Share this page via Email