30 refugees yet to arrive in town

MIDDLESBROUGH is still waiting for around 30 Ukrainian refugees to arrive.

The war in Ukraine has raged since Russia invaded in February and led to more than five million people fleeing to other countries, according to the United Nations.

At a full council meeting on Wednesday, Cllr Sheila Dean, the Acklam Labour member, asked for an update on the number of arrivals, where refugees were based across the town, how Middlesbrough’s figures compared to other area and how families were settling in. People can apply to house refugees through the Homes for Ukraine page on the government website.

It’s not a council-run scheme but the local authority will need to run DBS and housing checks on those who want to house Ukrainian refugees.

It will also be required to provide education, undertake referrals for services, support refugees arriving in accessing benefits and work, and provide health services and launch hosting courses to equip sponsors to deal with trauma.

In response to Cllr Dean, Cllr Stephen Hill, the executive member for culture and communities and member of the Middlesbrough Independent Councillors Association, said: “We have around 30 people who are waiting to travel from Ukraine to Middlesbrough, so that should fill up our slots.”

Middlesbrough has capacity to host up to 61 guests, including 14 children – 29 refugees have already arrived, including nine children and one person was seven months pregnant. The arrivals are staying across 12 homes. According to the latest Home Office data from July 5, there have been 51 visa applications sponsored by someone in Middlesbrough for someone fleeing Ukraine and 41 have been issued.

In Stockton, there have been 133 applications, 117 visas issued and 85 arrivals, in Redcar there have been 101 applications, 84 visas issued and 69 arrivals, and in Hartlepool there have been 56 applications, 42 visas issued but less than 40 people have arrived.

Each household, or sponsor, that agrees to take in refugees will receive an optional £350 per month for the first twelve months.