COLCHESTER Council is to receive £660,000 to help homeless people and Ukrainian refugees find safe homes in the city.

The government has announced the council will receive £325,000 in the next financial year and a top-up of £335,000 in the current financial year.

The funding is to address homelessness pressures and to support Ukrainians into settled accommodation.

Nearby Tendring Council will receive almost £480,000 in funding.

Gazette: Colchester Council will receive hundreds of thousands of pounds from the governmentColchester Council will receive hundreds of thousands of pounds from the government (Image: Mike Quinn)

The government says the grant has been calculated based on how many refugees arrived in each district on the Homes for Ukraine scheme, while wider homelessness pressures were also considered.

It added it expects funding “will be prioritised for supporting our Ukrainian guests into sustainable accommodation”.

Gina Gardiner welcomed Ukrainian refugee Iryna Omelchenko into her home in Ardleigh in May 2022 after Iryna, 58, was forced to flee her home in Dnipro after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Gina said: “Parts of the Homes for Ukraine scheme have worked out really well and I think the hosting arrangements have worked out ok. As far as I’m concerned she can stay here as long as she wants to.”

Gazette: Friends - Gina and Iryna first met in May 2022 when Gina signed up for the Homes for Ukraine schemeFriends - Gina and Iryna first met in May 2022 when Gina signed up for the Homes for Ukraine scheme (Image: Gina Gardiner)

The 70-year-old welcomes the chance this new funding may give to refugees facing homelessness but feels more needs to be done to support Ukrainians who relocated to the UK.

Iryna has been left out of pocket after being laid off from a seasonal job at a calendar factory after the Christmas period and has struggled to find work since while being told she’s not able to claim Universal Credit until March.

“She came here in all good faith and was invited here,” Gina said. “She wants to do the right thing and is lovely but, actually, the odds are stacked against her.”

During her time in the UK, Iryna has had other jobs including a housekeeping role in Dedham for two hours a day.

Because of a lack of bus services between the two villages, Iryna was often forced to walk home on roads without pavements.

“Iryna being here isn’t an issue but external circumstances are,” Gina added.

Some of the funding has been allocated to support domestic homelessness pressures.