Refugee website crashes as 89,000 Britons rush to take in Ukrainians

The Guardian ^ | March 15 2022 | Jessica Elgot

[Winniesboy]

About 10,000 people an hour signing up to offer homes to war-hit families and individuals, says minister.

Almost 89,000 people have offered homes to Ukrainian refugees in the first hours of a government scheme that allows families and individuals to bring them to the UK.

The website for registering interest in the scheme crashed for a short while because of the numbers offering homes. By 9am on Tuesday, 88,712 had joined the scheme. The Foreign Office minister, James Cleverly, said “10,000 people every hour” were signing up.

A spokesperson said the Homes for Ukraine website “temporarily stalled” after it went live late on Monday afternoon, owing to the “enormous generosity of the British public”. He said the total number of offers was continuing to rise, with offers doubling within hours.

Until Monday, only Ukrainians with family links to the UK could apply for visas that would give them access to work and benefits...

... on Monday, the levelling up secretary, Michael Gove, announced that sponsors could bring any Ukrainian to the UK to live in their home for a minimum of six months, for which they would receive a £350 monthly payment.

[Winniesboy]

Rather late in the day. A bit rich to crow about this now, after the Home Office did everything to erect hurdles for Ukrainian refugees to jump, before setting up this scheme in response to public and media pressure.

[sergeantdave]

Give the money to the Brit pensioners so they can buy fuel for their boilers and not freeze to death.

[justrepublican]

I am hard pressed to believe

[conservativeimage]

Hosting Ukraine refugee day one:

Hosting Ukraine refugee day two:

Hosting Ukraine refugee day three:

[Bikkuri]

Big mistake....

[moovova]

LOL !

[moovova]

LOL !

[bobbo666]

Well, it is the Guardian.

Also, imagine posting a request: “16-25 yrs old, fit, female, really desperate.”