Ukraine - A Warm Scots Future: policy position

Introduction

This paper sets out the policy direction for the next phase of Scotland’s response to the humanitarian crisis created by Russia’s illegal war against Ukraine. This will help the Scottish Government and its partners transition from an emergency response to a long-term and holistic approach that supports the integration of displaced people from Ukraine, in alignment with the New Scots approach which aims to support integration from day one.^[1]

This paper also provides an update on progress made by the Scottish Government and our partners in delivering the 16 interventions identified following a review of the Scottish super sponsor scheme.^[2] The 16 interventions aimed to improve the scheme and the support offered to displaced people from Ukraine.

Figure 1: Timeline of key events in Scotland’s Ukraine response

• Feb 2022

  Russia’s full scale invasion of Ukraine

• Mar 2022

  UK launches Homes for Ukraine visa sponsorship

  Scottish Government acts as a super sponsor

• Jul 2022

  Scottish super sponsor scheme paused to new applications

  5,000 arrivals reported under Scottish super sponsor scheme

• Jul – Sep 2022

  Review of super sponsor scheme and identification of 16 interventions

• Aug 2022

  10,000 arrivals reported under Scottish super sponsor scheme

• Nov 2022

  Publication of Scotland’s support for displaced people from Ukraine – review and 16 interventions

• Nov 2022 – present

  Progression and delivery of 16 interventions

  As of 25th July 2023, 25,155 displaced people from Ukraine have arrived in the UK on a visa with a Scottish sponsor

The Scottish Government has worked in close partnership with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA), the Scottish Refugee Council (SRC), local authorities, the third sector and local volunteer and business communities to provide a Warm Scots Welcome to displaced people from Ukraine. This included establishing welcome hubs in both Glasgow Airport and Edinburgh with the

support of local authorities and third sector partners. The Scottish Refugee Council supported the Glasgow Airport Hub, and Edinburgh Voluntary Organisations’ Council (EVOC) and Volunteer Edinburgh supported the Edinburgh Hub. The hubs have worked hard to provide comfortable welcome accommodation and immediate support to displaced people arriving through the Scottish super sponsor scheme.

The Scottish Government has also worked with partners to support people into matched accommodation, which includes host accommodation and some social housing.

While Scotland’s initial commitment was to welcome around 3,000 displaced people from Ukraine, by early July 2022 over 20,600 Scottish super sponsor visas were issued and almost 5,500 people had arrived in the UK.^[3] To ensure that people who had arrived in Scotland, and would arrive in the coming weeks and months, could continue to be safely accommodated, the Scottish Government took the decision

to temporarily pause the Scottish super sponsor scheme to new applications. The pause came into effect on 13 July 2022.

Following this, the Scottish Government and its partners undertook a rapid review of the Scottish super sponsor scheme. The review identified 16 interventions designed to improve the performance of the scheme, to help empower those arriving from Ukraine with clear information, advice and support, and provide better access to longer-term housing options – reducing the reliance on welcome accommodation. More detail about Scotland’s response, the review and 16 interventions are set out in ‘Scotland’s support for displaced people from Ukraine: Super Sponsor Scheme review’.^[4]

While the review acknowledged the importance of supporting longer-term integration, many of the interventions were intended to be immediate or short- term actions – reflecting that Scotland’s response to date has rightly been focused on the immediate needs of displaced people arriving from Ukraine, especially providing immediate welcome accommodation and access to essential services for those who needed it.

Figure 2: Key achievements in delivering the 16 interventions

• The £50 million Ukraine Longer-Term Resettlement Fund has so far brought back nearly 1,200 social rented homes. As of August 2023, 671 homes are complete, with 472 tenancies in place, housing 948 displaced people from Ukraine
• ‘Scotland for Ukrainians: a guide for displaced people’^[5] was published to provide information about life in Scotland to displaced people from Ukraine arriving under the Scottish super sponsor scheme
• Job fairs have been held around Scotland including in Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow to promote employment opportunities. An Office of National Statistics survey^[6] published in July 2023 showed that 52% of adult Ukrainians in the UK are now employed or self-employed
• A Scotland-led call for volunteer hosts was launched on 28 November 2022 with 665 volunteers coming forward by the end of 30th June 2023

Further details of progress on all of the 16 interventions are set out in the Annex.

With 11 of the 16 interventions now considered complete and the remaining five in progress or due for further review, now is the right time to consider the strategic focus of the next phase of Scotland’s Ukraine response.

Arrivals from Ukraine

While the Scottish super sponsor scheme has remained paused to new visa applications since July 2022, displaced people from Ukraine have continued to arrive in Scotland and make applications for visas to travel to the UK through individual sponsorship via the Ukraine sponsorship scheme (also referred to as ‘Homes for Ukraine’).

Through the Ukraine sponsorship scheme (under which the Scottish super sponsor scheme operates), Scotland has sponsored the highest number of applications, visas issued and arrivals to the UK per head of population of any of the four nations.

Government sponsored visas included where applicable (Scotland and Wales only) and individual sponsors.

The UK has also welcomed many displaced people through the Ukraine Family visa scheme and provided continued safety through the Ukraine Extension scheme.^[8]

Scottish communities and local authorities have been providing a warm welcome and support to all displaced people arriving from Ukraine, no matter how they arrived. This is alongside their continued support for all those fleeing war and persecution worldwide, whether they have arrived through refugee resettlement schemes or are seeking asylum in the UK.

As set out in the Scottish Government’s population strategy,^[9] Scotland faces demographic challenges, including an ageing population and depopulation, particularly across many of the Islands and rural communities. Scotland welcomes all those arriving from Ukraine and recognises the important and valuable contribution they make to the Scottish economy and the enrichment they bring to Scottish communities.

Case Study: Ukrainian Resettlement in Argyll & Bute

As a large local authority area spread across the mainland of Scotland as well as number of islands, geography presents a particular challenge to resettlement as towns and villages are often far apart and require journeys by ferry as well as road.

There are a number of displaced people from Ukraine in Argyll & Bute, both in remote areas and larger villages and towns. This includes children in primary and secondary schools. To support displaced people from Ukraine, the local authority has:

• expanded its resettlement team to include a dispersed team of support workers providing resettlement support and advice. They are supported by three interpreters who were recruited by the local authority, also dispersed. Support workers have been allocated to displaced people from Ukraine
• run their own English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) provision with a team of 10 tutors teaching virtually – running approximately 18 lessons per week
• delivered specialised ESOL classes focused on different needs including International English Language Testing System (IELTS) preparation, ‘English For Driving’ and ‘English For Grannies’ with a course for new/expectant mothers in development
• written new guidance to support recruitment as well as offering support to employers with interpretation/translation.

Working with displaced people from Ukraine, the local authority has also focused on opportunities to bring people together across the community through:

• holding quarterly virtual sponsor meetings
• holding four ‘Welcome Fayres’ with a ceilidh – including organising transport to bring people along
• holding art exhibitions including transport for those further afield
• summer holiday activities including a family event at Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park
• a refugee residential outdoor activity week for 10-15 year olds in July at Ardroy Outdoor Centre, Lochgoilhead
• social media groups being set up in main towns and larger communities
• a conversation café, Rozmova, soon to be launched.