Ukraine (bbabo.net), - The British Minister of State for Refugees Richard Harrington called on the UK Treasury to double the allowance for families who host refugees from Ukraine.
The scheme, launched by the British government after the start of Russia's special military operation in Ukraine, provides that families who shelter Ukrainians for a minimum period of six months will be paid £350 ($420) a month. As part of this program, almost 80,000 Ukrainian citizens moved to the kingdom out of a total of 115,000. However, according to the National Statistical Service, approximately one in four Britons who provided shelter for Ukrainian refugees plans to refuse to participate in the migrant reception program within six months. due to the difficult economic situation in the country.
“I have asked the Treasury to increase the payment from £350 to £700 for the second six months. People are under pressure. I can't provide proof of this, but my gut tells me that if they're in a difficult financial situation, then [doubling the payments] will help a lot," Harrington, who is the kingdom's first deputy home secretary, told the newspaper on Monday. The Daily Telegraph.
The official also said that he had asked the finance department to allocate additional funds for English lessons for refugees. A spokesman for the Ministry of Finance told the publication that the decision on this issue will be up to the team of the next prime minister, who is due to take up his duties on September 6. The politician who will replace the resigned Boris Johnson will be either Foreign Minister Liz Truss or former Treasury Secretary Rishi Sunak.
In March, the London-based Center for Economic and Business Research published a report warning that the UK was at risk of facing the worst drop in living standards since the 1950s. According to official data, inflation in the country increased to 10.1% year-on-year in July. It is provoked by a sharp rise in prices for food, fuel and electricity, caused by the conflict in Ukraine and the economic confrontation between Russia and the West. According to the latest estimates of the Bank of England, in autumn the inflation rate in the country may exceed 13%. According to an opinion poll conducted by Opinum, 40% of respondents admitted that after the October increase in electricity prices, they will not be able to pay their bills or will be forced to cut vital expenses.
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