ALMOST a third of current and former sponsors taking part in the Homes for Ukraine scheme are struggling to host refugees due to the cost-of-living crisis, research suggests. 

About a fifth (21 per cent) of hosts said rising prices have affected their ability to provide support to refugee families “quite a lot,” while a further 9 per cent said it did “very much,” according to an Office for National Statistics (ONS) survey.

One in five hosts said they did not intend to host Ukrainian refugees beyond the minimum six-month period required to take part in the scheme. 

Of those, just under a quarter said this was because of the rising cost of living or they could no longer afford to. 

The survey also found that virtually all sponsors (99 per cent) had paid out extra costs, including for food and energy bills, for hosting refugees. 

Although sponsors are given a £350 monthly payment to host Ukrainians under the scheme, some said more support would be welcomed amid rising prices. 

The sponsorship scheme has run into a series of criticisms since its start earlier this year: refugee rights groups have warned that a lack of regulation and safeguarding has put vulnerable people at risk of trafficking and exploitation. 

Fears have also been raised that many families could end up homeless as the end of the six month stay draws closer. 

Refugee Council chief Enver Solomon warned that the extra burden of cost of living on families in Britain poses a “further threat to vulnerable Ukrainians” on top of the risk of homelessness. 

“That is why it is so vital that the government provides hosts and refugees with the right support, funding and advice — including a review of funding and help to make arrangements for long-term accommodation so Ukrainians can live independently and avoid the risk of homelessness,” he said.