Homes for Ukraine: Understanding the Geography of Ukrainian Refugees and Hosts in Great Britain

ABSTRACT

The escalation of conflict in Ukraine in March 2022 triggered the mass displacement of Ukrainian people. In response, the UK government launched the Homes for Ukraine scheme, a private hosting initiative that urged members of the public to temporarily host refugees in their homes. As of December 2024, around 194,800 Ukrainian refugees had been issued visas through the scheme. Despite the significance of the scheme, little is known about the geography of refugees and hosts, factors that have influenced this geography, and how this geographical distribution shaped the temporary integration of Ukrainian refugees. This paper employs a mixed‐methods design, integrating qualitative interviews with Ukrainian refugees and those hosting them, with spatial mapping and regression modelling, to examine the geography of the Homes for Ukraine scheme. Our findings demonstrate that while hosting was geographically widespread, there were distinct regional trends, with more Ukrainian refugees being hosted in southern England. Various factors were associated with this distinct geography, including average income levels, as well as the availability of spare rooms. Finally, we show that many areas home to higher rates of Ukrainian refugees pose challenges for their temporary integration due to higher housing costs, as well as limited availability of social housing. These findings contribute to wider understandings of migration and refuge by demonstrating the significance of place‐based attributes in not only determining where displaced people are able to move but also in shaping their temporary integration into hosting areas.