We asked Wiganers: "Would you host a Ukranian refugee in your home?"

People wait in a line to board a train leaving for Lviv in Ukraine at the train station in Przemysl, Poland, Monday, March 14, 2022. While tens of thousands of people have fled Ukraine every day since Russia's invasion, a small but growing number are heading in the other direction. At first they were foreign volunteers, Ukrainian expatriate men heading to fight and people delivering aid. But increasingly, women are also heading back.

Since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, many Ukrainian civilians have fled their country to seek refuge around Europe and in the UK.

The UK goverment has launched a “Homes for Ukraine scheme” to help with the humanitarian crisis. They are asking people in the UK to offer accommodation in their homes for at least six months where they will be offered a £350 per month “thank you” payment to cover costs.

Wigan MP and Shadow Communties Secretary, Lisa Nandy has criticised the goverment’s scheme slamming it as a “DIY asylum scheme.”

There has been a mixture of opinions and reactions. Here’s what some of our wigantoday readers have commented on our Facebook posts:

Siobhan Baines: “If I had a spare room, yes, yes I would and I wouldn’t be worried about which country the refugee was from.”

Brenda Dickinson: “ I would. But due to Covid which hasn’t gone away and I’m high risk. N kept myself safe it’s got to be a no.”

Dave Taylor: “If anyone has got a room for Ukranian refugees then they’ve got room for our homeless, charity begins at home.”

Jason Redshaw: “Don’t most MPs have 2nd homes? I wonder how many of those will be given over to house people? An MP shouldn’t be asking us to do something they are not willing to do themselves.”

Rachel Wilson: “Yes we have spoken about it. Just don’t have the room.”

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