London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Jul 26, 2025

Homes for Ukraine: Robert Jenrick takes in Ukrainian refugee family

Homes for Ukraine: Robert Jenrick takes in Ukrainian refugee family

A former cabinet minister has taken in a refugee family under a government scheme to help those fleeing Ukraine.

Robert Jenrick, the MP for Newark, and his family have welcomed Maria, 40, Christina, 11, and Boden, 15, into their Nottinghamshire home.

He is thought to be the first MP to take in refugees under the Homes for Ukraine scheme.

Mr Jenrick said both families had found it "very emotional" when they finally met in person at Stansted.

"I think the family we are sponsoring were happy to be in a place of safety," he told the BBC. "Like most Ukrainians who come under the scheme they are leaving behind husbands, fathers, relatives and friends so there are mixed emotions."

The former communities secretary said his family had discussed doing something to help after being moved by the news from Ukraine, and had been put in touch with the family through another Ukrainian family who was staying with friends.

"The process was relatively slow to begin with but well worth the wait from our perspective," he said, adding that Maria and her family had been "absolutely lovely".

As of Wednesday 25,100 visas have been issued under the Homes for Ukraine Scheme - which allows families in the UK to sponsor refugees to come and live with them - from 55,600 applications.

Since it began the scheme has faced criticism for being slow - and Home Secretary Priti Patel has previously apologised for the delays in granting visas.

Several MPs and government ministers have previously said they would be open to hosting a Ukrainian refugee. Environment minister Victoria Prentis was the first to welcome one, according to the Telegraph, although Vika came to the UK via an existing scheme, not Homes for Ukraine.

Mr Jenrick said that he was hoping to arrange places at school for the two Ukrainian children now under their roof in the coming weeks.

While he said he would encourage anyone who was lucky enough to be in the position to host a refugee to do so, he said that it was a commitment which "should be entered in to seriously".

"But I think it is going to be a very rewarding experience for my family," he said, adding that it had made them grateful for the life they have in the UK.

Mr Jenrick told the Daily Telegraph's Chopper's Politics podcast - which first reported the story - that the process had been "overly bureaucratic" and red tape had "tested the patience" of sponsors and the families applying for the scheme.

In his experience, he said it took around three weeks to get the three visas needed.

"There were simple things that we could and should have done from the outset, like having the form in Ukrainian, for example," he told the Telegraph, adding he was not sure it was necessary for security checks to be done on minors who were "extremely unlikely to be a threat to this country".

But Mr Jenrick said it had not been too difficult to find a family wanting to come to the UK.

'Little less selfish'


It has meant a busier house with the Ukrainians joining Mr Jenrick, his wife, their three children and two dogs in the family home.

But he told the Telegraph's Christopher Hope the experience had been humbling for him and his family, and said they would be "a little less selfish" for the experience.

Maria and her children had been through "harrowing" experiences in Ukraine, he said, and had queued for seven hours at the Polish border on their way to the UK.

"It does feel very rewarding," he said. "It's a very tangible way to reach out and help another family."

He added that he was looking forward to spending the Easter weekend with his "new extended family".

Asked if he had received the £350-a-month payment being offered to hosts as part of the scheme Mr Jenrick said that either they would return the money or it would be given to the Ukrainian family.

There are two schemes for people in the UK to welcome refugees: the family scheme, for Ukrainians with a family member in the UK; and Homes for Ukraine, which lets people in the UK host Ukrainians who do not have family ties here.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Deputy attorney general's second day of meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell has concluded
Controversial March in Switzerland Features Men Dressed in Nazi Uniforms
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
Thai Civilian Death Toll Rises to 12 in Cambodian Cross-Border Attacks
TSUNAMI: Trump Just Crossed the Rubicon—And There’s No Turning Back
Over 120 Criminal Cases Dismissed in Boston Amid Public Defender Shortage
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
Trump Announces $550 Billion Japanese Investment and New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
Microsoft, US Lab to Use AI for Faster Nuclear Plant Licensing
Trump Walks Back Talk of Firing Fed Chair Jerome Powell
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Irish Tech Worker Detained 100 days by US Authorities for Overstaying Visa
Dimon Warns on Fed Independence as Trump Administration Eyes Powell’s Succession
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Jeff Bezos Considers Purchasing Condé Nast as a Wedding Gift
Ghislaine Maxwell Says She’s Ready to Testify Before Congress on Epstein’s Criminal Empire
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
×