County Spotlight - Homes for Ukraine

This special edition County Spotlight report sets out how county and unitary councils have led the local delivery of the Homes for Ukraine programme.  

It highlights the scale and speed of the response required following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and the central role of councils in enabling arrivals, supporting hosts, and helping refugees integrate into communities – featuring 12 case studies from County Councils Network (CCN) member councils.

It also tells the story of ten refugees who have come to England and have settled in county areas, describing in emotive detail their ordeal and their hopes for a new life – as well as the support their local authority has provided.

The report shows that while the programme has been a significant success, it is also facing growing pressures as hosting arrangements end, living costs rise and homelessness risks increase.

The report illustrates how county areas have resettled the largest number of refugees:

• Over 85,000 Ukrainian refugees arrived in England through the scheme, with 56% settling in county areas. All but one of the 25 areas hosting the most refugees are CCN members.
• In some regions, counties accommodated the vast majority of arrivals, including around 90% in the East of England. Councils proactively increased host payments ahead of national change, which see per-head funding for councils cut by almost a half.
• However, Ukrainian homelessness rose sharply, reaching nearly 5,000 households by January 2023.

Recommendations to government include:

• Provide sufficient, flexible and multi‑year funding to reflect long‑term resettlement needs.
• Allow councils to roll over unspent tariff funding beyond annual deadlines.
• Expand and clarify funding for housing acquisition and homelessness prevention.
• Recognise and resource the ongoing integration role of upper‑tier authorities.
• Maintain close national‑local collaboration to ensure the programme remains sustainable.