The British Government, the only one in Europe to apply for a visa to the Ukrainians fleeing the war, will pay 350 pounds sterling to individuals and businesses that will host refugees.
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The United Kingdom remains the only European country to apply for a visa to the Ukrainians fleeing the war: Monday, March 14 in the morning, only 4,000 of them had managed to win this sesame, after several days of wait and tedious administrative procedures. But in the face of the pressure of the Labor opposition and that of the British public opinion, for the moment largely favorable to more generosity, and confronted with a beginning of the fronde of its own conservative elected officials, the government of Boris Johnson relaxes – a little – the reception conditions.
The Minister of Housing, Michael Gove, announced Monday that non-governmental organizations (NGOs), companies or individuals candidates to welcoming refugees will be able to manifest on an online platform as part of a new Diagram of welcome: the “homes for Ukraine”. The platform will be accessible to Ukrainians from March 18th. Guests will receive a compensation of 350 pounds sterling (415 euros) per month and family hosted for at least six months. Refugees will be able to work, access social services and NHS (the health system, free) – and stay up to three years in the country.
Volunteers will have to find refugees themselves – by knowledge, social networks or works of charity. The Ukrainians wishing to come can very well have no knowledge or family already installed on the spot, but will have to submit to security checks to obtain a visa.
200 000 Refugees expected
In questioned on the BBC Sunday, Michael Gove said himself “think” to welcome a Ukrainian refugee. Similarly for his colleagues Grant Shapps, the Minister of Transport, and Sajid Javid, the Minister of Health. Even Benedict Cumberbatch, the Sherlock and The Power of the Dog series (from Jane Campion, Best Best Film in BAFTA, the British cinema rewards, Sunday), volunteered.
On the other hand, Boris Johnson is not ready to open the doors of Downing Street or Checkers, his official weekend residence, “for security reasons,” said a government spokesman on Monday . According to An obvious survey published in the newspaper The Observer Sunday, 9% of the respondents are sure to want to host a Ukrainian refugee and 20% say they were thinking about it.
Michael Gove said that “there will be no limit concerning the number of refugees welcomed by this way”. The Prime Minister had said in early March to expect the arrival “at least 200,000 Ukrainian refugees”. In recent days, more person to the government does not have any forecasts while the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees ran Monday to 2.7 million people who have fled Ukraine since the beginning of the Russian invasion, 24 February.
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