Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme in Scotland: statistics- October 2022

Key points

• according to published data from the Department for Levelling up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC), Scotland has received 40,778 visa applications through the UK ‘Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme’, which includes those sponsored by the Scottish Government (Super Sponsor Scheme) and by Individual Sponsors as at 18 October 2022, with 35,412 visas issued. As of 18 October, a total of 21,012 displaced people from Ukraine have arrived on a visa sponsored either by an individual Scottish sponsor or sponsored by the Scottish Government.
• as reported by welcome accommodation teams across Scotland on 12 October, there were 2,495 hotel rooms and 1,172 cabins occupied by displaced people from Ukraine in welcome accommodation in Scotland. There were around 4,741 people occupying hotel rooms and 2,247 people on-board the passenger ships.
• as reported by local authorities between 20 September and 12 October 2022:
  • there were around 5,485 active (potential or current) volunteer hosts who expressed an interest in hosting someone sponsored by the Scottish Government and arriving on a Super Sponsor visa. Please note that the number of active hosts will fluctuate over time due to some withdrawing and new potential volunteer hosts expressing an interest to host.
  • since the start of the Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme, it is estimated that local authorities have needed to check around 6,110 properties as a result of an offer to host those sponsored by the Scottish Government through the Super Sponsor Scheme (referred to as the baseline number of properties to check).
  • of these, 3,995 property checks had been completed (around 65% of estimated properties requiring property checks) and around 3,310 properties had all necessary disclosure checks completed (around 55% of estimated properties requiring disclosure checks).
  • in total, around 2,830 volunteer properties had been approved for matching with a Super Sponsor visa holder (sponsored by the Scottish Government) and cleared for hosting after passing the required property and disclosure checks.
  • there were around 1,730 active (potential or current) volunteer hosts reported who expressed an interest in hosting someone sponsored by individuals and arriving on an Individual Sponsor Scheme. Please note that the number of active hosts will fluctuate over time due to some withdrawing and new potential volunteer hosts expressing an interest to host.
  • since the start of the Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme, it is estimated that local authorities have needed to check around 1,890 properties as a result of an offer to host those sponsored by individuals (referred to as the baseline number of properties to check).
  • of these, around 1,765 property checks have been completed (around 95% of estimated required property checks) and around 1,675 properties have had all necessary disclosure checks completed (around 90% of estimated properties requiring disclosure checks).
  • in total, around 1,545 properties offered by volunteer hosts who expressed an interest in hosting someone sponsored by individuals and arriving on an Individual Sponsor visa had been cleared for hosting after passing required property and disclosure checks. Please note, hosts under Individual Sponsor Scheme can host displaced people from Ukraine without their property being cleared for hosting.
• across the three main matching pathways (national matching, local matching, informal matching), around 2,790 individuals (1,420 cases) being sponsored by the Scottish Government had been matched into and arrived at their longer term accommodation in Scotland, as reported between 20 September and 12 October 2022.
• local authorities report that around 2,225 people (945 cases) sponsored by known individual host (arriving on the Individual Sponsor Scheme) had arrived at their longer term accommodation in Scotland as reported between 20 September and 12 October 2022. Please note that one volunteer can host more than one displaced person. This might result in a larger number of arrivals sponsored by individuals than there are matches under the Individual Sponsorship Scheme.
• local authority teams reported that out of all the people that have been matched in to long term accommodation (arriving on any visa type: sponsored by the Scottish Government, Individuals or on Family Visa), around 930 people (380 cases) had been placed directly into social or council housing across Scotland, as reported between 20 September and 12 October 2022. Displaced people from Ukraine may be matched into social housing if Registered Social Landlords or the relevant council has offered up social or council housing for matching. People arriving on visa schemes other than sponsored by the Scottish Government or individuals (e.g. Family Visa) may be placed into social or council housing if requiring temporary homelessness accommodation.