The IRC in the UK
As we approach three years since the escalation of the war in Ukraine, the devastating impact of the conflict continues to reverberate through the lives of millions. While humanitarian needs inside Ukraine continue to escalate, those who have found refuge in the UK are now facing uncertainty and instability.
When the war broke out in February 2022, the UK government responded with unprecedented support, launching the Ukraine Family Scheme and Homes for Ukraine sponsorship programme. These initiatives opened doors for Ukrainians seeking safety, offering them temporary protection and access to work, education, and healthcare services.
However, as the conflict enters its third year, many Ukrainian refugees are finding themselves at a crossroads, grappling with questions about their long-term future in the UK.
Costs of uncertainty: Margarita’s story
When conflict reached Kyiv in February 2022, Margarita’s life as a PR and marketing director living with her family in the city was suddenly upended. Like many families across Ukraine, Margarita, her husband, and their daughter found themselves sleeping under the stairs, seeking shelter from Russian airstrikes. Facing intensifying conflict, Margarita finally fled Ukraine with her daughter in Summer 2022, finding refuge in Rainham, Kent, through the Homes for Ukraine scheme.
Upon arrival in the UK, Margarita immediately sought ways to rebuild her life. Through the IRC's Ukraine Response programme, she completed an integration course to navigate British systems and services - from schooling to the NHS. She went on to join the IRC’s Job Readiness training and earned her interpreter certification, enabling her to support other Ukrainian refugees to settle and integrate into their new communities, before securing full-time employment herself. She now serves on IRC's Community Advisory Board, inputting into the development and evaluation of IRC’s programmes supporting refugees and asylum seekers in the UK.
"Many [Ukrainian] students have just begun their higher education, and now they're asking if they will ever be able to complete it". Margarita and her daughter fled Ukraine in 2022
Despite these achievements, the uncertainty surrounding her temporary status continues to cast a shadow over Margarita’s future; "The urgent need for a permanent solution for Ukrainian refugees is more pressing than ever," she emphasises.
Temporary status, while offering some form of security, has limited Ukrainians' ability to secure stable employment in the UK. “Employers often overlook us in favor of candidates they see as more stable, despite our skills and potential," Margarita explains. This sense of instability also extends to education. "Many students have just begun their higher education, and now the question looms: Will they ever be able to complete it?" Margarita adds.
This uncertainty is especially difficult for young people, many of whom have adapted to life in the UK, attend school here, and some now even speak English better than Ukrainian. Margarita’s daughter's story illustrates the deep roots many Ukrainians have established in the UK: "My daughter, together with her two local friends, has created a band and might have a future,” she shares.
Visa extensions: 'We deserve more'
The recent opening of the Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme, which grants an 18-month visa extension, offers temporary respite. However, the absence of a clear roadmap for their stay in the UK - compounded by worrying headlines from home - leaves many feeling anxious about their future.
Without a long-term solution, Ukrainian refugees face a heightened risk of homelessness due to breakdowns in relationships with hosts, difficulty securing guarantors or funds for tenancy deposits, and ongoing language barriers. This vulnerability is further exacerbated by the complexities of navigating essential systems, such as housing, education, and healthcare with little support available.
This instability and lack of support is having a profound impact on people’s ability to fully integrate into their new communities. Margarita captures the sentiment of many: “We deserve more than uncertainty. We deserve the stability of a permanent solution, one that will allow us to rebuild, thrive, and contribute to the societies that have taken us in.”
The path forward
The IRC is urging the UK government to seize the opportunity presented by the 18-month extension period, using it as a vital window to develop lasting, permanent solutions. This period should not just delay uncertainty but actively pave the way for Ukrainian refugees to find stability and security in their lives in the UK.
To achieve this, the UK Government must take the following crucial steps:
- Establish clear pathways to permanent residency: Create transparent and accessible routes for Ukrainians to transition from temporary protection to permanent status, ensuring their long-term safety and integration.
- Safeguard access to essential services: Maintain and strengthen access to healthcare, education, and employment support, which are critical for refugees' successful integration into UK society.
- Enhance protection against forced returns: Strengthen safeguards to prevent the forced return of Ukrainians to unsafe conditions, ensuring their right to stay is protected as long as the situation in Ukraine remains unsafe.
How you can help
There are several ways to support Ukrainian refugees during this period of uncertainty.
Donate: Your contribution helps the IRC provide essential services and support to Ukrainian families in the UK, Ukraine and throughout Europe
Advocate: Contact your MP to support permanent solutions for Ukrainian refugees
Volunteer: Local refugee support organisations always need dedicated volunteers
Raise Awareness: Share stories and information about the ongoing challenges faced by Ukrainian refugees
What is the International Rescue Committee?
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) helps people affected by humanitarian crises to survive, recover and rebuild their lives.
Read about our impact around the world.
Helping refugees rebuild in the UK
As well as providing humanitarian assistance in crisis and conflict zones, the IRC also helps refugees rebuilding their lives in the UK. Read more about the International Rescue Committee in the UK.
