Nottingham dad hosting Ukrainians worrying about bills as council cash delayed

Leigh Harrison pictured in his garden at home in Carrington, in front of a bush of green leaves. He is wearing a blue sweater over a lighter-blue hoodie and navy blue T-shirt.
Leigh Harrison pictured at home in Carrington -Credit:Joseph Raynor/Nottingham Post


A Nottingham man has been ringing utility companies to delay his bills due to the city council being months behind in paying him to host Ukrainian families. Leigh Harrison first joined the Homes for Ukraine scheme in April 2022, himself being the father of half-Ukrainian children and having worked with the Ukrainian Cultural Centre near his Carrington home.

Those in the Homes for Ukraine scheme, no matter how many people they host, are supposed to be paid £500 in the first week of every month if their guests have been in the UK longer than a year. Mr Harrison says that as May rapidly approaches, he has still not had payments for March or April and the process of trying to get the money is becoming a "drain".

The 52-year-old stressed that his issue is not with the city council department handling the Homes for Ukraine scheme money, which is funded by the Government. Instead, Mr Harrison says he has been told that the problem lies with Nottingham City Council's spend control board - set up after the authority's effective bankruptcy to review all items of spending.

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Delays in the spend control board giving approval nearly saw Nottingham City Council employees lose their NCT bus pass in early April, before the authority stepped in at the 11th hour to save them. That same spend control board is now reportedly behind the delay in getting Homes for Ukraine payments to hosts such as Mr Harrison - with the same issue earlier in the year causing January and February's payments to be delayed until March.

Mr Harrison said: "It's just getting too much. It's not even the council's money, it's Government money, so it should be passed straight on to us.

"They've got a department in the council and it's not their fault. The people in there are very good, conscientious and as frustrated as we are."

Since joining the Homes for Ukraine scheme, Mr Harrison says he has hosted eleven different sets of people fleeing the conflict with Russia - some who are single and some families. A family of three are currently staying with Mr Harrison, though the mother occasionally returns to Ukraine, and they have been with him for 18 months.

Mr Harrison added: "We get £500 a month and that's not the reason I do it, but it helps. It's starting to become a real drain. I'm not interested in excuses." Since Nottinghamshire Live contacted Nottingham City Council, Mr Harrison says his March and April payments have now been approved and will clear over the next three days.

A Nottingham City Council spokesperson said: "There have unfortunately been some technical issues and processing errors which have affected payments for households who are part of the national Homes For Ukraine programme. We're really sorry because we understand the important role they have played, and continue to play, in providing vital refuge for individuals and families fleeing the conflict.

"The council has apologised to hosts for these delays in payments being received." The council confirmed that all spending has to be approved by its finance chief, who chairs the spend control board, and that these measures will be in place until the end of March 2025.