Richard Shakespeare, 62, a retired detective, and his wife Wendy, 52, are empty nesters who signed up to offer a room in their three-bedroom house near Norwich, a town in the east of England.
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“We felt it was something positive and real and we could see the end result. We want to help a family in a terrible situation,” Shakespeare said. He added that he had so far been “slightly annoyed” by the UK’s response to the refugees, but added: “The British public is coming to the point and offering help in large numbers.”
The rush to take in Ukrainian refugees comes amid fierce criticism from opposition lawmakers and charities, as well as three-quarters of the population, who say the UK is not doing enough. As of Monday, only 4,000 visas had been processed. Meanwhile, Poland took in more than 1.6 million refugees.
Unlike other European countries, the UK has not lifted visa restrictions for Ukrainians fleeing the war. Until this week, only those with family ties to the UK could apply for a visa, a process that was plagued by delays and bureaucracy. Applicants report technical problems with online applications and that some hotlines charge almost a dollar a minute.
On Monday, the British government opened the refugee route to those who have no family ties to the country. The government says the first sponsored Ukrainian refugees should arrive next week.
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Under the new scheme, the British government will pay volunteers about $450 a month to host a refugee. Hosts to be verified must offer accommodation for at least six months. Ukrainians arriving in the country under the program will be issued a three-year visa that will allow them to work and access benefits and government services.
Participating hosts are not matched with a refugee – they are required to name a Ukrainian family, prompting critics to say it’s an unnecessary checkpoint.
“It can’t be right for people fleeing Russian aggression to advertise themselves on social media in the hope that a British family will notice,” he said. Lisa Nandyhousing spokesman for the opposition Labor Party.
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James Cleverley, the foreign secretary, defended this approach, telling the BBC it was more efficient. “There are a huge number of people and organizations that already have connections with Ukrainians. Instead of repeating, duplicating and slowing it down, we want to be as agile and fast as possible.”
Anthony Flaton, 69, who lives about 40 miles from London, offered his spare room. “I had all the emotions that can be. Throwing a ten at a problem won’t work,” he said, using British slang for a £10 note.
He is frustrated with bureaucracy and does not understand why the government insists that masters like him find a Ukrainian family in advance. “What really annoys me is the bureaucracy,” he said. “I don’t know Ukrainians. A Ukrainian person is enough for me.”