Cheshire West and Chester Council says help is at hand for those fleeing war in Ukraine.
Ukrainians who are staying with family in Cheshire West are being offered support to help them settle into the borough.
The council is appealing for anyone who has arrived in the area through the Family Visa Scheme to get in touch to find out what help and support is available.
The authority is also being funded by central government to provide support for refugees coming to the UK under another scheme, Homes for Ukraine, which enables residents to become sponsors and offer accommodation to a Ukrainian guest(s) for a minimum of six months.
Under this scheme the council is provided with full details of each arrival – but it doesn’t receive any information for those who’ve arrived under the Family Visa Scheme.
Bosses say this is making it very difficult to provide support to people arriving here under that scheme.
They say that regardless of which route Ukrainians have arrived by, the council’s role is to help to make sure that all arrivals and their sponsors are safe and supported.
They’re working to ensure refugees have access to services like health, education, work and benefits – and that Ukrainian families are assisted with integrating into the community here in Cheshire.
CWAC leader, Cllr Louise Gittins said: “The borough has a proud history of welcoming refugees and others seeking sanctuary and the response from everyone in our community to the Ukrainian conflict has proved this once again.
“We are keen to make sure that those Ukrainians who have come to Cheshire West and Chester through the Family Visa scheme are also supported.
“As a council we don’t have the same information about people who have arrived via this scheme compared to the Homes for Ukraine scheme, which we are helping to administer, so that’s why we are appealing to those people to come forward.”
Cllr Samantha Dixon, the council leader’s champion for refugees, added: “I’m very proud of all the work taking place in this borough to welcome families and individuals fleeing extremely traumatic events and trying to piece together as normal a life as possible.
“It is important that access to services and support is easy for our new arrivals, no matter which scheme they have entered the UK by, so please get in touch.”
To find out what support is available, please visit: www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/ukrainefamilyvisa.
