Britons are not tired of helping Ukrainians

Amid Russian claims that the West will soon get tired of helping Ukraine, a recent survey by More in Common seems to give a univocal answer to a bit different question: whether Britons have got tired of helping Ukrainians – namely the Ukrainian refugees – one year since Russia launched its full-scale war against Ukraine. The answer should certainly make all Ukrainians, wherever they live, proud of the impression their compatriots have generally won among those in the United Kingdom who took them to their homes.

According to the report by More in Common, the survey of 1200+ Homes for Ukraine hosts found that “one year on from its launch, the scheme has been a broad success that should be celebrated and learned from.”

The survey shows that the support for the U.K. taking in refugees from Ukraine remains strong in March 2023, as 71% of Britons believe that the fact that the U.K. had taken in more than 150,000 refugees is a good thing, and only 16% think it was a bad thing.

Even more demonstrative, the hosts’ experience of the scheme has been overwhelmingly positive. The astounding proportion of 81% of hosts say they had a positive experience with the Homes for Ukraine scheme, and the overwhelming majority (88%) are glad they participated. Only a tiny minority (3%) say they regret it.

“The thought that we actually helped in some tiny way; we couldn’t stop the invasion but we could give this one Mum a safe haven,” the report quotes a respondent.

“It is a privilege to be able to support those in need who have had to flee the war. Our guests are lovely. And we have met many wonderful people who are hosts or involved with refugees in other ways,” another respondent said.

Photo: Robert Jenrick, the MP for Newark, and his family have welcomed Maria, 40, Christina, 11, and Bohdan, 15, into their Nottinghamshire home. ANDREW FOX/THE DAILY TELEGRAPH via BBC