Winchester has welcomed more than 280 Ukrainian households through the Homes for Ukraine scheme, a recent meeting heard.

The city has been one of the leading locations for Ukrainian families to settle since the start of the war.

Cllr John Tippett-Cooper asked for an update on numbers and support, at the the full meeting of Winchester City Council on Wednesday September 20.

He said: “Winchester City Council’s support to hosts and guests under the Homes for Ukraine scheme has been widely praised.

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“Many of Winchester District’s Ukrainian families are moving onto independent accommodation and many remain with host families.

“Can the council update us on the current accommodation status of our Ukrainian community who have arrived under the Homes for Ukraine scheme and the help Winchester City Council has put in place to support them?”

Cllr Kathleen Becker, cabinet member for community and engagement, said: “The council continues to support Ukrainian households through the Homes for Ukraine scheme and Winchester has welcomed 283 households to the district. 112 of those households remain living with their hosts. 

“There are 171 households who have moved on from their hosts to live independently. 71 households moved to rent privately, 21 households moved into social housing and 53 households have been re-matched to different hosts. 26 households have returned to live in Ukraine. 

“The council provides housing support through financial assistance in the form of rent deposits and rent in advance. Helping to maximise income to cover household costs, help with moving in costs, sourcing white goods and furniture and help with setting up utilities. 

“To further support Ukrainian households to live independently and integrate into local communities the council provide a range of support services and activities which include direct support to hosts and guests through bi-weekly drop in sessions. Running budgeting and independent living sessions, assisting with wellbeing through the Peer to Peer support group, looking at services in the district that could be extended to serve our Ukrainian guests (and others), facilitating the creation of a Ukrainian community group and providing financial assistance through the council’s Independence and Integration support fund.”