I’m a Refugee, and Blaming People Like Me for Britain’s Housing Crisis Will Not Fix the Problem—Here’s Why I Say That

A Ukrainian woman who escaped the war and came to Britain has described a Conservative plan to restrict social housing for foreign nationals as “devastating”.

Under the proposal, many foreign nationals would no longer be allowed to apply for council or housing association homes if the Conservatives win the next general election. Some foreign nationals already living in social housing could also be ordered to leave their homes within six months.

The Conservatives say the plan could make more than 228,000 homes available to British families currently waiting for social housing.

However, charities have strongly criticised the proposal. They warn that it could leave families, pensioners, refugees and long-term UK residents homeless.

Yuliana Zaichenko, 30, came to Britain from Ukraine in 2022 after fleeing the war. She entered the country through the Ukraine Family Scheme, which allowed Ukrainian citizens to join family members living in the UK.

Yuliana joined her uncle in London and was later given a social housing flat in Newham, east London, in 2023.

She said she is very grateful to have a safe home, especially because she has been struggling with her mental health.

“Having a roof over my head helps,” she said.

Yuliana was initially allowed to stay in Britain for three years. She later received an additional 18 months under the Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme. That permission will expire in October, but she has applied for another two-year extension.

Although the Conservatives said people who entered Britain through the Ukraine Family Scheme would not be directly affected by the proposal, Yuliana said she remains deeply concerned about other foreign nationals who could lose their homes.

She said she would willingly give up her flat if she had somewhere else to live, but she currently has nowhere else to go.

Yuliana believes the housing shortage will not be solved by removing foreign nationals from social housing. She said the Government should instead look at privately owned homes that have been left empty and are falling into poor condition.

She suggested that some of those empty properties could be turned into affordable social housing.

Yuliana also said she does not want to take a home away from a British family, but stressed that she came to the UK because she was fleeing a war.

She accused politicians of trying to divide people by making foreign nationals appear responsible for Britain’s housing crisis. She said the proposal could make British people believe that migrants and refugees are taking homes that should belong to them.

Under the Conservative plan, people living in social housing who are not British, Irish or eligible EU citizens could be told to leave within six months. This could also apply to households with children.

People with settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme would be protected. However, EU citizens arriving in Britain in the future would not be allowed to apply for social housing under the proposed rules.

At present, some foreign nationals with indefinite leave to remain, settled status, refugee status or certain forms of humanitarian protection can qualify for social housing. This includes some people who came to Britain through official resettlement programmes after escaping war or persecution.

Most asylum seekers are already unable to apply for social housing.

Helen Whately, the shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, said British families were being left on long waiting lists because Labour had lost control of immigration and welfare spending.

Social housing is provided by councils or non-profit housing associations and is normally offered at a lower rent than homes in the private rental market.

Shelter’s chief executive, Sarah Elliott, warned that the proposal could force thousands of families and pensioners out of homes where some have lived for many years.

Labour said the policy would mainly affect refugees and long-term residents who have worked and contributed to Britain but do not have British citizenship. This could include some NHS workers.

There are also concerns that councils would have to spend more money placing evicted families in expensive temporary accommodation, such as hotels and hostels.

Charities argue that removing foreign nationals from social housing would not create enough homes to solve the shortage.

Government figures show that about 88.5 per cent of the main householders living in social housing in England during 2024–25 were British or Irish nationals. Foreign nationals represented approximately 11.5 per cent.

The Conservatives estimate that their proposal would make 228,144 homes available to British families. However, about 1.34 million households were on social housing waiting lists across England in March last year, the highest figure recorded in 12 years.

Jasmine Basran, head of policy at the homelessness charity Crisis, said the plan would not meet Britain’s housing needs. She said the real solution is to build more social homes rather than blame people who did not cause the crisis.

A Conservative Party spokesperson said the Ukraine Family Scheme is now closed to new applicants. Those already living in Britain under the scheme were given an additional 18 months to remain.

The spokesperson said that by the 2029 general election, people who originally came through the scheme may have gained indefinite leave to remain and could be able to apply for British citizenship. For this reason, the party said it would be incorrect to claim that its policy would force people still covered by the Ukraine Family Scheme out of social housing.