FOI/202400441991 · FOI · unclear
Accommodation providers used to provide homes for displaced Ukrainians: FOI release
Information requested
Please can you confirm the total number of accommodation providers the Scottish Government has used to provide homes for people displaced from Ukraine and the number of these that don't have a valid HMO license. This will apply to properties where more than one person (unrelated) have been housed.
This should include all accommodation provided by The Scottish Government as Scottish Super Sponsor, Welcome hubs, hotels, b&bs, aparthotels, ship cabins, private sector landlords and any other accommodation, including all those accepted as volunteer hosts under the Ukraine sponsorshipscheme. It should cover the period March 2022 to October 2024 (or at least to April 2024).
Please state the total costs of any unlicensed accommodation approved by the Scottish Government welcome team and costs for those that have been used by Local Authorities. If you can please provide the information by email either in a word document or a spreadsheet.
Response
I have split your request into two parts:
1. The number of accommodation providers (HMO compliant) from March 2022 - October 2024; and
2. The cost of any (unlicensed) accommodation during this same period.
I can confirm that during the period March 2022 to October 2024 the total number of accommodation providers that the Scottish Government has used to provide Welcome Accommodation to people displaced from the Ukraine is 170. This figure includes all hotels, aparthotels, ships and apartments. Of these, there are three hotels in Edinburgh procured by the Scottish Government that the City of Edinburgh Council considers to be unlicensed HMOs.
We are withholding the release of financial information regarding the cost of that accommodation under Section 33(1)(b) – as it would substantially prejudice commercial interests.
In Scotland there are circa 1,288 hosted relationships although this number may fluctuate with new arrivals or individuals and families moving on from hosted relationships. The UK Government provides thank-you payments to hosts, who currently will receive £350 a month during the first 12 months of their guests’ stay and increases to £500 once the guest has been in the UK for 12 months.
About FOI
The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at https://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.
Contact Please quote the FOI reference Central Correspondence Unit Email: contactus@gov.scot Phone: 0300 244 4000 The Scottish Government St Andrew's House Regent Road Edinburgh EH1 3DG
Detected exemption language
We are withholding the release of financial information regarding the cost of that accommodation under Section 33(1)(b) – as it would substantially prejudice commercial interests.
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