A couple that fled conflict and left their home in war torn Kyiv, Ukriane in February have returned home due to the costs and conditions they face in the UK. Joe Place, from Sheffield, and his wife Irina, received a Ukraine Family Scheme visa and managed to secure jobs in the country.
Their job status meant they couldn't find a permanent home, according to the Liverpool Echo, because they couldn't apply for the Homes for Ukraine scheme. Mr Place, 29, was house-hopping between family and friends after arriving in the UK with his wife.
He has struggled to find a place to live however due to "terrible" housing conditions, high costs and rental requirements. The couple have now decided to return to Ukraine and are now living in the western city of Uzhhorod.
Mr Place told the PA news agency: "This comes to the problem that everyone in the UK seems to be facing with finding [a rental.] We doubled our budget and more.
"We had a very strict list of requirements and we just kept going 'OK, well, compromise on this, compromise on this, compromise on this'. Anything we got even remotely close to getting was just terrible."
The couple, who met when they were both teaching English in Ukraine in 2019, will continue to go "back and forth" to the UK to see friends and family but cannot afford to stay long term. Mr Place said it would cost them up to £1,500 a month to rent in the UK compared to £500 in Ukraine.
Housing agencies and landlords were asking for a previous year's tax statement or six months of income in a UK bank account which they could not provide. The money the couple had in their Ukrainian bank accounts was not accepted, they said.
Mr Place said: "The west of Ukraine, where it's safer, the house prices have gone up quite a lot and the rents have gone up - a lot of the locals struggle. But obviously for us coming from the UK...this is still really affordable."
Despite being on a Ukraine Family Scheme visa, Mr Place said the couple did not receive the same amount of support from the government as those on the Homes for Ukraine scheme.
"It's been incredible (the Homes for Ukraine scheme) and I hope we continue this approach for other crises," Mr Place said. "But I do think there was a bit more support for that scheme."
There is a "possibility" he and his wife will return to the UK next spring, but they do not want to plan far ahead because of the war. He added: "For now we are quite happy being here."
A government spokesperson said: "Taken together, our generous Homes for Ukraine and Ukraine Family schemes are one of the fastest and biggest visa programmes in UK history, with over 196,000 visas issued and more expected to come through these uncapped routes.
"We expect Ukrainians entering the UK through the Ukraine Family Scheme to be primarily supported by family members, but they are also entitled to three years' leave to remain and full access to work, study and benefits - including Universal Credit. Local authorities have a duty to provide support to people on the family scheme, including homelessness where required."
