Ukraine Refugees

Summary

The request sought data on Ukrainian refugees, conflict-related entries, and associated costs in the Isle of Man since 2024. The Cabinet Office disclosed visa numbers and scheme costs but noted it does not hold data on asylum seekers or spending by other departments.

Key Facts

• Since the beginning of 2024, 14 visas have been granted under the Homes for Ukraine Scheme, with 6 people arriving on the Island.
• The Homes for Ukraine Scheme is the only conflict-related entry scheme operated by the Isle of Man; no other similar schemes exist.
• Total costs for the Homes for Ukraine Scheme amount to £386,582, covering the 2022/23, 2023/24, and 2024/25 periods.
• Host payments within the scheme totaled £153,360 for the 2022/23 and 2023/24 financial years.
• The Cabinet Office does not hold information regarding costs incurred by other departments or specific details on asylum seekers.

Data Disclosed

• 14 visas granted since 2024
• 6 people arrived since 2024
• £240,995 (2022/23 cost)
• £126,031 (2023/24 cost)
• £19,556 (2024/25 cost to date)
• £386,582 (total scheme cost)
• £153,360 (total host payments)
• £500,000 (donation to DEC Ukraine Appeal)
• 4th March 2022 (donation date)
• 16 August 2024 (request received)
• 17 September 2024 (response date)

Original Request

1. Please can you confirm how many people from Ukraine have been permitted to move to the Isle of Man since 2024. 2. Please can you confirm whether any of these people were permitted as a result of the conflict between Ukraine and Russia and is so under what scheme they were brought here and what they are referred to as and how many? i.e. asylum seeker, immigrant, refugee? 3. Please can you confirm if any other people have been permitted entry to the Isle of Man as a result of conflicts in the home countries and if so how many ant what countries they are from. 4. Please can you confirm how much has been spent on processing, admitting, housing and benefits given to any people here as a result of the Ukraine / Russia conflict. 5. There was once £500,000 given to Ukraine at the beginning of the conflict from the Isle of Man Government. Please can you confirm what these funds were spent on and provide receipts.

Data Tables (1)

Data Tables (reformatted)

Full Response Text

1

Government Office Douglas Isle of Man IM1 3PN Telephone: (+44) 01624 686244
Website: www.gov.im/co

Our ref: 4064349 17 September 2024

Dear ###

We write further to your request, received 16 August 2024, which states:

"1. Please can you confirm how many people from Ukraine have been permitted to move to the Isle of Man since 2024.

1. Please can you confirm whether any of these people were permitted as a result of the conflict between Ukraine and Russia and is so under what scheme they were brought here and what they are referred to as and how many? i.e. asylum seeker, immigrant, refugee?

2. Please can you confirm if any other people have been permitted entry to the Isle of Man as a result of conflicts in the home countries and if so how many and what countries they are from.

3. Please can you confirm how much has been spent on processing, admitting, housing and benefits given to any people here as a result of the Ukraine / Russia conflict.

4. There was once £500,000 given to Ukraine at the beginning of the conflict from the Isle of Man Government. Please can you confirm what these funds were spent on and provide receipts."

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Cabinet Office does not hold some of the information that you have requested.
I have detailed below the information that is held.

1. Please can you confirm how many people from Ukraine have been permitted to move to the Isle of Man since 2024.

The Cabinet Office only holds information on numbers of people (from Ukraine) who have been granted visas under the Homes for Ukraine Scheme (Isle of Man), and are to be hosted in the Isle of Man (as opposed to those who may have come under the, now closed, ‘family visa route’). Since the beginning of 2024, 14 such visas have been granted, with 6 people having come to the Island.

2 2. Please can you confirm whether any of these people were permitted as a result of the conflict between Ukraine and Russia and is so under what scheme they were brought here and what they are referred to as and how many? i.e. asylum seeker, immigrant, refugee?

As mentioned above, Ukrainians are able to come to the Isle of Man under the Homes for Ukraine Scheme, the purpose of which is to support those who wished to flee the war in Ukraine. The position in relation to asylum seekers, refugees and those fleeing conflict in Ukraine is explained in the Isle of Man Government refugee policy (see page 4, Ukraine response). The report can be found at the attached link - https://www.gov.im/media/1380938/isle-of-man-refugee-policy-statement- 2023.pdf

1. Please can you confirm if any other people have been permitted entry to the Isle of Man as a result of conflicts in the home countries and if so how many and what countries they are from.

The Homes for Ukraine Scheme is unique. There are no other similar schemes operated by the Isle of Man.

1. Please can you confirm how much has been spent on processing, admitting, housing and benefits given to any people here as a result of the Ukraine / Russia conflict.

Cabinet Office does not hold information on costs incurred by other Departments. The costs for the Homes for Ukraine Scheme are £240,995 (2022/23), £126,031 (2023/24), and £19,556 (2024/25 to date), which total £386,582. This includes the cost of running the Ukraine Support team, and also the payments made to Isle of Man hosts, who provided homes for those coming to the Island from Ukraine. Host payments, in total, amounted to £153,360 (2022/23 & 2023/24).

1. There was once £500,000 given to Ukraine at the beginning of the conflict from the Isle of Man Government. Please can you confirm what these funds were spent on and provide receipts."

On 4th March 2022, the Isle of Man Government donated £500,000 to the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) Ukraine Appeal. The DEC is an umbrella group comprising 15 leading UK charities who provide clean water, humanitarian aid, and medical care as quickly and efficiently as possible in emergency humanitarian situations. This organisation was selected for Isle of Man Government Disaster and Emergency Relief (DER) funding because of its stringent criteria for launching an appeal (see: When does the DEC launch a national fundraising appeal?), comparatively low operating costs, and central resource pool, which allows the DEC to respond to crises worldwide through its member charities. As the Isle of Man Government funds were donated directly to this appeal for the DEC to disburse, it is not possible to provide receipts for how the money was spent. However, further information on how the DEC distributes funds amongst its member charities and how those funds are then spent can be found here: DEC – What we do with your money, and details on aid expenditure from the Ukraine Appeal specifically can be found here: DEC Ukraine - How your donations are helping 3

Please quote the reference number 4064349 in any future communications.

Your right to request a review

If you are unhappy with this response to your freedom of information request, you may ask us to carry out an internal review of the response, by completing a complaint form and submitting it electronically or by delivery/post.

An electronic version of our complaint form can be found by going to our website at https://services.gov.im/freedom-of-information/Review . If you would like a paper version of our complaint form to be sent to you by post, please contact me and I will be happy to arrange for this. Your review request should explain why you are dissatisfied with this response, and should be made as soon as practicable. We will respond as soon as the review has been concluded.

If you are not satisfied with the result of the review, you then have the right to appeal to the Information Commissioner for a decision on; 1. Whether we have responded to your request for information in accordance with Part 2 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015; or 2. Whether we are justified in refusing to give you the information requested.
In response to an application for review, the Information Commissioner may, at any time, attempt to resolve a matter by negotiation, conciliation, mediation or another form of alternative dispute resolution and will have regard to any outcome of this in making any subsequent decision. More detailed information on your right to a review can be found on the Information Commissioner’s website at www.inforights.im. Should you have any queries concerning this letter, please do not hesitate to contact me. Further information about freedom of information requests can be found at www.gov.im/foi.

I will now close your request as of this date.