A number of Brits who opened their homes to Ukrainian refugees are calling for tougher background checks after allegedly falling victim to fraud and theft at the hands of their guests.
Hosts fear a small minority are ‘taking advantage’ of the British welfare system by claiming Universal Credit and other benefits despite many being wealthy in their own right – with claims they are splashing out on shopping trips to Harrods, Botox injections and Apple products while being under no obligation to contribute to household bills.
Just under 170,000 Ukrainians have been taken in by British families through the Homes for Ukraine scheme since Vladimir Putin launched his illegal war on their country last February.
But the programme has been fraught with issues, with scores of host-guest relationships breaking down due to deep cultural differences and the financial strain placed on homeowners amid the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.
The Brits who have been let down by the process have now formed an online community to offer each other support.
