The London Borough of Merton will fund an additional payment of £100 per month to residents who host refugees through the Homes for Ukraine scheme, as it campaigns for more people to support those fleeing the Russian invasion.
The council has opted to offer the extra monthly payment, increasing payments from the £350 a month through the Homes for Ukraine scheme to £450 a month in Merton, to ensure housing remains an option in light of sharp increases in living costs and mortgage rates.
The additional payment will be added automatically for residents from the seventh month of hosting, and continue for the duration of their follow-on agreement with guests.
Eleanor Stringer, Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet member for Civic Pride, said: “We need to support everybody in the community through the cost-of-living crisis, and this is a way we can do that for those who are giving their time and opening their homes to Ukrainian families. With inflation and energy costs at record levels, we want to help ensure any rise in costs is covered.
“Our hope is that, as the sharp rise in costs forces residents to re-think their outgoings, this financial help will both encourage existing hosts to renew their agreements, and prompt potential new hosts to consider offering a room if they can.
“In the absence of any Government guidance or additional funding, we feel it important for the council to step in and ensure hosts get the support they deserve.
“As we’ve seen this week, the devastation in Ukraine isn’t going away anytime soon; residents have done an incredible job here of coming forward and offering their help – we want to thank them for that, recognise their sacrifice and offer real-terms support financially.”
Merton has so far welcomed almost 400 Ukrainian guests through Homes for Ukraine, including more than 100 children, and approximately 600 further residents (around 200 families) through the Friends & Family scheme. More than 180 children are enrolled in the borough’s schools.
The borough’s new Ukrainian community is thriving, thanks in large part to Merton’s Polish Family Association, which has supported those arriving in the borough and offered community group support.
To help guests settle into the area, the council has worked with the All-England Lawn Tennis Club to offer 1,000 people the chance to attend the Championships at Wimbledon this year, as well as giving free tickets for the borough’s family fireworks displays this month.
The payments will be added automatically to the monthly thank-you payments received by hosts.