Workers at a 'welcome hub' for arriving Ukrainians wait to guide people at St Pancras station in London, England. Getty Images
Workers at a 'welcome hub' for arriving Ukrainians wait to guide people at St Pancras station in London, England. Getty Images
Workers at a 'welcome hub' for arriving Ukrainians wait to guide people at St Pancras station in London, England. Getty Images
Workers at a 'welcome hub' for arriving Ukrainians wait to guide people at St Pancras station in London, England. Getty Images

Ukrainian refugees in UK at risk of 'human trafficking and exploitation’


Soraya Ebrahimi
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The UK’s visa programmes for Ukrainian refugees are “lacking in clarity, resourcing and accountability” and are heightening the risk of trafficking and exploitation, a report has shown.

More than 100 experts have highlighted the “troubling implications” of the UK’s visa-based response, saying they are struggling to make sense of the “chaotic, fragmented and confusing” system.

In a report produced by experts at University College London for the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner, Dame Sara Thornton, the visa requirement is widely regarded as creating and heightening the risks of human trafficking and exploitation.

This compares to EU countries’ more open responses, which were seen as a “major source of resilience” against such threats.

The UK’s “hostile environment” is also creating a “difficult climate” in which to respond to the crisis, they added.

The report details issues raised during a roundtable of experts from governmental bodies, health care and legal groups, law enforcement officials and academics.

Numerous concerns were raised about the Homes for Ukraine programme, with experts worried both about the “deliberately predatory hosts” and about conditions becoming increasingly exploitative over time.

They identified the potential for domestic servitude, with unclear government guidance heightening the risk of exploitative placements.

And they said that councils are likely to struggle to house refugees who need accommodation because their relatives cannot house them or their placement with a sponsor breaks down.

“Six months is a long time to sign up to host somebody and as far as we can work out there’s no backup for what happens if it goes wrong, although on paper there is,” said one respondent, from an NGO.

“But in reality there is a housing shortage, as we probably all know, and there’s already thousands and thousands of Afghans waiting for housing in hotels, so what happens if a hosting placement goes wrong — where are the Ukrainian people going to go?”

They also said there is a shortage of official information for refugees, their hosts and councils, with a high volume of “decentralised and fragmented material and initiatives” potentially causing confusion and hindering refugees’ access to support.

In addition to women and children, groups particularly at risk of exploitation include separated and unaccompanied minors, older people, Roma and other minority groups, as well as international students.

“I’m hearing from the police who are going into the brothels that they are very concerned that there’s an increase in the number of Ukrainian females … I suspect that those females are compelled into sex work rather than being more consensual sex workers, and I’m concerned about the lack of our ability from a policing and disruption and safeguarding perspective to intervene and protect,” said one participant, a barrister.

“There was clear consensus among experts from across different backgrounds that new risks specific to this war are interacting with existing systemic issues in the UK, putting many refugees from Ukraine at heightened risk of human trafficking and exploitation — both on the way to the UK and once here,” said lead report author Dr Ella Cockbain, of UCL’s Department of Security and Crime Science.

“Simply warning people about human trafficking and modern slavery is not enough; they need to be given safer, better options and access to vital support if things go wrong,” she added.

Dame Sara said the responses to the Homes for Ukraine programme have shown how willing the public is to support refugees.

“Thousands of individuals, organisations and businesses have offered shelter, support and job opportunities,” she said.

“What we must do now is put in place systematic prevention and protection measures to ensure the risks of trafficking and exploitation do not become a reality.”

Among the report’s 25 recommendations is a call for the Home Office to waive the visa requirement, improve access to support for non-Ukrainians fleeing the country, and publish regular data on how many separated and unaccompanied children are arriving in the UK.

It should also ensure councils get £10,500 ($13,000) per refugee arriving under the family programme, and these refugees should get a £200 ($249) payment when they arrive, as is the case for arrivals under the Sponsorship programme.

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, which has responsibility for the Homes for Ukraine sponsorship programme, should provide information clarifying expectations around domestic chores.

And it should work with councils to make clear plans for how refugees will be supported with housing if placements fall through or relatives cannot house them.

“In response to [Russian President Vladimir] Putin’s barbaric invasion, we launched one of the fastest and biggest visa schemes in UK history. 86,000 visas have been granted with over 27,000 Ukrainians arriving safely in the UK,” said a government representative.

“Thanks to changes we made to streamline the system, thousands of visas are being granted every day, but it is right that security checks are conducted on both applicants and sponsors to make sure Ukrainians fleeing the war and sponsors are safeguarded.

“Under the Homes for Ukraine scheme, councils must make at least one in-person visit to a sponsor’s property and following guests arrival, they have a duty to ensure the guest is safe and well.”

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Women’s World T20, Asia Qualifier

UAE results
Beat China by 16 runs
Lost to Thailand by 10 wickets
Beat Nepal by five runs
Beat Hong Kong by eight wickets
Beat Malaysia by 34 runs

Standings (P, W, l, NR, points)

1. Thailand 5 4 0 1 9
2. UAE 5 4 1 0 8
3. Nepal 5 2 1 2 6
4. Hong Kong 5 2 2 1 5
5. Malaysia 5 1 4 0 2
6. China 5 0 5 0 0

Final
Thailand v UAE, Monday, 7am

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Favourite car: Koenigsegg Agera RS or Renault Trezor concept car.

Favourite book: I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes or Red Notice by Bill Browder.

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Favourite holiday destination: Being at home in Australia, as I travel all over the world for work. It’s great to just hang out with my husband and family.

 

 

Key findings of Jenkins report
  • Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
  • Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
  • Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
  • Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
Red flags
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Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching

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Liverpool 0

Stoke City 0

Man of the Match: Erik Pieters (Stoke)

FIGHT CARD

 

1.           Featherweight 66kg

Ben Lucas (AUS) v Ibrahim Kendil (EGY)

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Mohammed Kareem Aljnan (SYR) v Alphonse Besala (CMR)

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Marcos Costa (BRA) v Abdelhakim Wahid (MAR)

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Omar Ramadan (EGY) v Abdimitalipov Atabek (KGZ)

5.           Featherweight 66kg

Ahmed Al Darmaki (UAE) v Kagimu Kigga (UGA)

6.           Catchweight 85kg

Ibrahim El Sawi (EGY) v Iuri Fraga (BRA)

7.           Featherweight 66kg

Yousef Al Husani (UAE) v Mohamed Allam (EGY)

8.           Catchweight 73kg

Mostafa Radi (PAL) v Abdipatta Abdizhali (KGZ)

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Jaures Dea (CMR) v Andre Pinheiro (BRA)

10.         Catchweight 90kg

Tarek Suleiman (SYR) v Juscelino Ferreira (BRA)

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Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers

Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?

The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.

A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.

Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.

The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.

When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.

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Zimbabwe v UAE, ODI series

All matches at the Harare Sports Club:

1st ODI, Wednesday, April 10

2nd ODI, Friday, April 12

3rd ODI, Sunday, April 14

4th ODI, Tuesday, April 16

UAE squad: Mohammed Naveed (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Shaiman Anwar, Mohammed Usman, CP Rizwan, Chirag Suri, Mohammed Boota, Ghulam Shabber, Sultan Ahmed, Imran Haider, Amir Hayat, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed

How to apply for a drone permit
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What are the regulations?
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  • Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
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  • Should have a live feed of the drone flight
  • Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
What sanctions would be reimposed?

Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:

  • An arms embargo
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Price: From Dh439,000

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Updated: April 29, 2022, 7:04 AM`