More than 182,000 Ukrainians entered the country as part of the Homes for Ukraine program and the Ukraine Family Scheme. Credit: Simon Townsley for The Telegraph
Ukrainian refugees urgently need to be given clarity on what will happen when their visas run out, Conservative MPs demand as some 100,000 people will have to leave the UK in 2025.
< p>Concerns have been raised about the lack of guidance as to what will happen to those who flee to the UK after their three-year visas expire under the UK's pioneering resettlement schemes.
Sir Robert Buckland, Boris Johnson's former Attorney General, said ministers should consider granting Ukrainians more permanent status as a “tailor-made” proposal designed for a “particularly urgent and unprecedented situation” requires “further individual response”.
This could take the form of a “higher degree of certainty” agreement, but not to full citizenship, he suggested.
Sir Robert said he would like to see a preparatory working to provide “maximum stability and certainty” for refugees, their employers and communities.
“Clarity will allow families to plan”,
Bob Seeley, fellow Conservative and co-chair of the cross-party parliamentary group on Ukraine, praised the government for supporting Ukrainian families, but also called for “important” clarity.
“Some have kids in schools, we should let them plan ”, he said.
After the war broke out in Ukraine, two programs were created for refugees in the UK: “Houses for Ukraine” and “Family Scheme of Ukraine”. Everyone is allowed a stay of up to three years.
Since then, more than 182,100 Ukrainians have entered the country through these channels. But because the majority came in the first six months, roughly 100,000 people were expelled by September 2025.
Kate Brown, CEO of Reset, a charity consulted by the Homes for Ukraine program, says refugees certainty is needed as they “started to rebuild their lives here”, finding jobs, building social networks and developing their English language skills.
Stan Benesh of the charity Opora also warned that issuing advisories one or two months before visas expire “doesn't really give people much time” to make long-term decisions.
“The infrastructure in Ukraine is completely destroyed'
Even if the conflict with Russia ends by 2025, many Ukrainians have expressed a desire to stay in the UK. According to ONS data released in July, half of Ukrainian adults intend to live in the UK most of the time, even if they believe it is safe to return to their country.
Mr Beneš said: “Infrastructure in much of Ukraine was completely destroyed. So if the war [ends] in victory and everyone comes back, the infrastructure just won't last, there won't be enough resources to bypass it.
“So, in a sense, it's even better if it's slower or purposeful return of those who, once safe, really want to return. It's just important to create a positive atmosphere around this and from the UK, signaling that we are not trying to steal people from the country of Ukraine and from this recovery effort as soon as it is safe to do so.”
Home Office Spokesperson stated: “Thanks to our Ukrainian schemes, we have given Ukrainians access to a three-year visa for temporary asylum in the UK. We will keep this under review if an extension is required in the future in line with developments in Ukraine.”
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