Milton Keynes people offering to house Ukrainian refugees speak about about delays, bureaucracy and frustration

Today, one local man has spoken out about the delays and red tape they have experienced since his family offered to take in a woman and her child two weeks ago.

The man, his wife and their children were all delighted to help when the government launched its ‘Homes for Ukraine’ scheme on March 14.

They had room in their house and were fully equipped to take another family.

"We were put in contact on Friday March 24 with Olga and her son. They put in their application. They had some issues with the form, but we were able to assist with some Whatsapp calls,” said the man.

The family expected the necessary DBS checks and house visit from the local authority to follow swiftly. But, 11 days on, they are still waiting – and Olga and the child are now moving between temporary homes in Bucharest, where they had sought brief sanctuary.

The would-be MK host said: “We have had no action...We have spent hours trying to complete complex forms online. Fortunately our incoming family are fluent in English and have their documentation and access to IT. But clearly not many will.

“MK Council has not done our DBS or house visit and the Home Office has still not processed their visas.”

In frustration, the man wrote to his MP Iain Stewart to see if he could speed things up.

“The MP’s office was sympathetic but still no movement .… All the contacts I have made to Iain Stewart's office have amounted to nothing. The only answer is ‘wait. His assistant Jenny has been patient and done all she can. However Iain Stewart has said and done nothing. He has a voice and should use it. If he raised publicity as an MP it would be better for all.

“We cannot be the only ones in this situation.”

The man added: “Olga and her son are now in Bucharest. They were in a small village, sharing a house, but they had to leave - I suspect because the owners could only help for so long.

"We do not know how to help, or actually if we have not made matters worse. We felt we had offered a safe place, but it all seems be simply sold false hope.

" If there was any communication it would help. If they knew they had to wait a set period of time, or they were in a queue they could at least see progress. I suspect they simply doubt the honesty of it all.”

The Citizen asked MK Council is they could speed things up. A spokesman said: “The council is committed to supporting Ukrainian people arriving locally as part of the national government scheme.

"We know there are issues with visas that are causing delays. Housing and DBS checks are being completed quickly as long as the necessary information has been provided by the Home Office.”

We asked the same question to MP Iain Stewart.

He said: "If there are any families who are constituents of mine that are having a problem, I would urge them to contact my office with details. I can then raise the issue that they face with the relevant team."

Earlier this month The Guardian newspaper ran an article claiming the Homes for Ukraine sponsorship scheme was beset by ‘unworkable’ bureaucracy.

Labour MP Lisa Nandy and refugee charities were critical of how the scheme was handling visa requirements, safety checks and child protection issues.

Ms Nandy, who is shadow communities secretary, warned: “There is no formal central system of matching the people on the register to those in need, which is pretty extraordinary.

“When you add in the excessive layers of bureaucracy – the lengthy forms and the documents you need to prove your identity and residency – the barriers make this scheme completely unworkable.

"Unless urgent steps are taken to address this, we will see very small numbers of people taking up this offer and a lot of the public’s generosity squandered.”

Over the weekend the minister in charge of the scheme, Lord Harrington, announced that visas for Ukrainian refugees will be processed within 48 hours.

He confirmed that so far only hundreds of Ukrainians have arrived in Britain under the Homes for Ukraine programme.

His promise came after widespread criticism of the bureaucracy surrounding the UK government’s response for visa applicants fleeing the Russian invasion. Some have been waiting for weeks.

“I want to get this process down to a reasonable amount of time,” Lord Harrington told the Mail Online. “I am happy to say publicly that my target is 48 hours from when they download the application form to when they are given permission to travel.”

Late last week, a government-backed charity called Reset Communities and Refugees launched a service to pair sponsors and refugees.

The charity will provide training and carry out initial eligibility and safeguarding checks. It has been given government funding and hopes to to scale up to match future demand.

Anyone in the UK with a spare room or home can offer to help under the Homes for Ukraine scheme. They must be able to offer accommodation for at least six months.

If you already know a Ukrainian national (or immediate family member) who you want to sponsor, you can help them apply for a visa under the Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme.

If refugees do not have a sponsor, they will be matched with people or organisations who have recorded their interest through the service.