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The Government is being urged to reconsider changes to Ukraine's refugee system that separates families after parents are increasingly unable to bring their children to the UK.
When the decision to abolish Ukraine's family system took effect just days before the second anniversary of Russia's invasion, officials dismissed widespread warnings that the move would separate families as “cynical threats.”
But those warnings have now become a reality. independent person The case of parents who arrived under the housing scheme for Ukraine in April 2022, but were unable to bring their two-year-old daughter from Kiev, was finally able to secure suitable accommodation and return to the UK. Established a business.
Oleksandra and Yaroslav's application for sponsorship for their daughter Anna listed them as her parents, but the Home Office said they were not British or Irish and that their stay in the UK was limited. Her visa application was rejected on April 26 for this reason. .
Have you been affected by this? Email andy.gregory@independent.co.uk
The Home Office claimed that independent person Liberal Democrat MP Alistair Carmichael said Ukraine's institutional rules had never prevented children from joining families in the UK, and the changes introduced overnight on February 19 were no different. suggested that “they don't seem to understand their rules.”
A report published by the Refugee Council and Safe Passage on Monday revealed more cases of families unable to join their loved ones in the UK. In it, the charity called on the government to restart the road to reuniting Ukrainians who have obtained temporary status in the UK. With close family.
In one case, a couple, Andrei and Mila, originally came to the UK for seasonal work and both had furlough leave to stay under the Ukraine Extension Scheme, but now they have children aged 5 and 9. She says she has no way of bringing her two children, who are 10 years old, to the UK. UK.
As a result, Mila returned to Ukraine and lives with her children in a village close to key infrastructure targeted by Russian forces. The children could hear missiles and rockets, and a drone had recently been shot down in a nearby field, the report said.
According to the report, the separation from Andrei has had a serious psychological impact on the family, with both children becoming withdrawn and parents worried about their children's mental health. Andrei said the heartbreaking situation made her feel “very helpless.”
In another case, a teenage girl named Yulia lives near the Russian border, which is under constant threat of bombing and shelling. Her family has lost her home, can no longer afford to buy her food, and is struggling to find her a job in an economy devastated by the attacks. Russian siege of the city.
While Yulia's family is unable to escape, she desperately wants to live with her aunt Darina. Darina moved with her son to a host family in the UK in 2022, and she is currently finding private rental accommodation nearby. However, due to changes to the Homes for Ukraine plan in February, Darina will no longer be eligible to act as a sponsor, her report said.
The charity supports cases where parents have traveled ahead to prepare for life in the UK before sending their children and are now unable to sponsor them, as well as those who have been injured in war or have been demobilized after combat. He said he also knows about men. He is also unable to join his wife and children in the UK.
Enver Solomon, Chief Executive of the Refugee Council, said: “Families are often forcibly separated by the fear of war and conflict, so the Refugee Council is committed to helping refugee families, especially parents and children, reunite with their loved ones. It is unimaginably painful to be blocked by the association.” home office.
“The government is adequately supporting the thousands of people affected by war and bloodshed in Ukraine to find safety, and communities across the country are reaching out to victims of the conflict. But the government's policy change in February means displaced Ukrainians living in the UK now have no way to safely bring their families, including children and even partners. It means something.
“We call on the Government to allow Ukrainians with temporary residence status in the UK to sponsor their next of kin. It prevents them from being with others and rebuilding their lives.”
Kate Smart, chief executive of the charity Settled, which is supporting parents trying to bring two-year-old Anna to the UK, said the new report showed that Ukrainians affected by the changes were affected by the change. He said it reflected his own case.
“We call for urgent changes to the rules to restore the right for Ukrainians living in the UK to sponsor their next of kin,” Ms Smart said. “The spirit of these humanitarian visas requires that children be allowed to join their parents.”
Sir Alf Dubbs, a Labor Party member who came to Britain to escape the Nazis at the age of six, said: independent person He found the situation “very shocking, because while the government says it supports the right to family reunification in theory, it denies it in practice.”
“This has been happening for years, and this is just the latest example,” he said, adding, “I hope it's not a deliberate policy, but it's not a deliberate policy to prevent people from qualifying for refugee status.” “If they are not a British citizen or are not a British citizen, they are saying they will waive their rights.” I don't think it's wrong because I can't join their family. I believe that family reunification is an absolute cornerstone of fundamental human rights. ”
A Home Office spokesperson said: “We will never prevent parents from being with their children in the UK. The Ukrainian scheme rules have never prevented this and the changes will not prevent this.
“We will continue to provide a safe and secure haven for people fleeing the ongoing conflict, while providing certainty and assurance to Ukrainians in the UK about their future as the war continues. ”
