Ukraine war: Family's housing fears as hotel stay ends

Olena's daughter Kateryna, 13, studied at a top secondary school in Kyiv and is doing her homework in a hotel room for now

A Ukrainian family who have lived in a hotel for seven months say they have nowhere to go after being told they were ineligible for social housing.

Olena, 38, has been living with her mother and 13-year-old daughter in Swansea after fleeing the war, but were told to find somewhere new by 17 March.

Swansea council said it had a team supporting refugees to move into more suitable accommodation.

The Welsh government said it was working with local authorities.

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The Welsh government said recently that welcome centres that have housed Ukrainian refugees since the beginning of the war are set to close in an effort to help them move into long-term accommodation.

Olena, a lawyer from Kyiv, said the situation facing her and her daughter, Kateryna, 13, and 69-year-old mother - also called Kateryna - was "stressful".

She said she got a letter from the Welsh government on 6 February saying they must independently find accommodation and leave their hotel by 17 March.

Olena, her daughter Kateryna and her mother Kateryna left behind a busy life in Kyiv because of the war

"We don't know where we will be in a few weeks - that means we cannot plan anything, and we don't know when we will be back home," she explained.

"There is so much unknown, like will we continue with our English classes," she said. "If my daughter will go to school, if my mother will be able to get medical support if she became ill."

Olena is one of 3,000 Ukrainians to have received help from the Welsh government since the start of the war.

Many first went to welcome centres, often repurposed hotel buildings like the one where Olena's family currently live.

She said she applied for social housing in September, but her application had not been processed and other options had been "rejected".

She said they have no information from Swansea council about where they will be moving or if it will be to another town or city.

Olena worked as a lawyer with a development company in Kyiv before the war

"[That] will mean a different school for Kateryna," she said. "We asked about social housing, and we were told Ukrainians will not receive social housing and are not eligible."

She said Kateryna was studying at one of the best schools in Kyiv and has plans to study at Oxford or Cambridge, but fears moving again will set her back.

Kateryna travels an hour by bus to reach her comprehensive, but said she was welcomed by pupils and teachers and some fellow students are Ukrainian.

The family have lived together in a hotel room for seven months

"If I move schools again, I will lose my friends and I find it hard to meet new people, so that is stressful for me to think about," she said.

"Life is OK here. I usually put headphones on to do my homework because I have to study in the hotel room with Mum and grandmother here too," she said.

"I just miss my desk back home with all my books."

Not having a permanent address, she said, causes other issues like not being able to get a mobile phone contract.

Olena says not having a permanent address has disqualified them from getting a mobile phone contract

The Welsh government said: "We are working closely with local authorities to ensure people can move into longer term accommodation and continue to feel supported.  

"The partnership between Welsh government, local authorities and local housing associations," they said, "continues to play a hugely successful role in safely welcoming Ukrainian people to Wales and assisting them move onto longer term accommodation".

Swansea council said: "We have a team that is directly supporting Ukrainian refugees to move into more suitable accommodation.

"This includes securing private rented accommodation by negotiating on their behalf with registered landlords and where necessary assisting with appropriate support, including rent in advance and bonds.

"We have already successfully accommodated a number of Ukrainian families into the private rented sector."

Looking to the future, Olena said she believes Ukraine will win the war "very soon".

"I really want to go home because we had a very good life in Ukraine which we never wanted to change," she added.

Kateryna said: "I really want to return, to return to my school - my lyceum. I want to continue my studies and go to university and make Ukraine better every day".