Ukrainian refugee accommodation: FOI release

Information requested

1. "how many vacant hotel rooms and other types of accommodation units have been held by the Scottish Government for Ukrainian refugees from 24 February 2022 to the present".
2. "the cost of these vacant rooms to the taxpayer per day" and "whether this changed over time".
3. "the total amount of money spent on accommodation for Ukrainian refugees and how much of this was spent on vacant accommodation" from "24 February 2022 to the present".
4. "how many Ukrainian individuals have been supported" from "24 February 2022 to the present.

Response

Questions 1 & 2

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested. This is because this particular data is not recorded in the format you have requested.

This is a formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested.

Question 3

The total amount of money spent on accommodation for displaced people from Ukraine between 24 February 2022 to the present, as at 15 December 2023, was £305,360,583.

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested regarding “how much of this was spent on vacant accommodation”. This is because this particular data is not recorded in the format you have requested. This is a formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested.
Question 4

We are investing over £100 million in 2023/24 in the Ukrainian Resettlement programme to ensure people continue to receive a Warm Scots Welcome and are supported to rebuild their lives in our communities for as long as they need to call Scotland home. This builds on the significant funding of over £200m we provided in 2022-23 to support the resettlement of displaced Ukrainians.

Since the war against Ukraine began almost 26,300 people sponsored by an individual in Scotland or the Scottish Government have arrived in the UK as at 12 December 2023. Almost 20,700 of these arrivals are through the Scottish Government’s successful Super Sponsor Scheme as at 12 December 2023.

More information on how the Scottish Government is supporting people from Ukraine is available on the Scottish Government’s website via: https://www.gov.scot/ukraine/.

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at http://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.