Latest news with #UPE
Yahoo
05-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Five Peterborough stories you might have missed this week
Good news for Peterborough Cathedral which can stay open seven days a week after exceeding its fundraising target, while new padel courts could open in the city. Here are five stories from Peterborough you might have missed this week. Peterborough Cathedral has exceeded its fundraising target, which has enabled it to stay open. In January, the cathedral team said it needed to raise £300,000 by the end of March to remain open seven days a week and avoid having to consider entrance fees. Dean of Peterborough Cathedral, the Very Reverend Chris Dalliston, said: "We're hugely delighted and relieved to have achieved and exceeded our £300,000 target." Ukrainians can sign up for a scheme which allows them to remain in Peterborough for a further 18 months. The Ukraine Permission Extension scheme (UPE) has been made available to those already granted permission to stay in the UK under other schemes. Peterborough City Council said it had yet to spend around half of the £3m it was granted in 2022 to support Ukrainians in the city. As family celebrations for Ramadan and Eid-al-Fitr took place, some people who joined the religion - found the whole time period "isolating and lonely", a charity said. New Muslim Circle in Peterborough supported converts in their spiritual journey by teaching them how to pray, organising regular meet-ups and hosting meals and celebrations. Natalia Zaman, who became a Muslim in 2007, described the charity as a "safe space" and a "lifeline" for those it helped. Plans for padel courts to be located at one of the country's oldest golf courses have been submitted for consideration. Company Padel X applied to Peterborough City Council to construct two courts for the racquet sport in the car park area of Burghley Park Golf Club. Cambridgeshire Police appealed for volunteers to lead cadet units, which could be at risk of closure without more helpers. The force runs six units for young people aged 13 to 18 who either aspired to be police officers or hoped to learn life skills. Without volunteers, it said the Fens and Peterborough group was most at risk of closing permanently. Peterborough United grabbed all three points at Crawley Town with a stoppage-time penalty in a 4-3 thriller. Abraham Odoh scored a first-half hat trick and then won a decisive penalty, which was scored by Ricky-Jade Jones. The win took Posh up to 14th in League 1. Peterborough Sports suffered their second successive defeat in the National League North. The Turbines lost 3-0 to promotion-chasing Kidderminster Harriers. Peterborough Phantoms bounced back with a 6-2 victory against the Hull Seahawks at the Bretton Rink on Sunday. Residents have signed an open letter pleading with a school to accept a compromise and put an end to a five-year row over playing fields. Peterborough city councillors recently agreed to lease a section of Werrington Fields to the Ken Stimpson Academy, albeit a smaller section than the academy trust said it would accept. More than 170 people from Werrington recently signed the open letter to the academy trust, asking them to accept the proposal put forward by the council. Meanwhile, candidates for the mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough have been confirmed. They are: Paul Bristow (Conservative), Ryan Coogan (Reform UK), Lorna Dupre (Liberal Democrats), Bob Ensch (Greens) and Anna Smith (Labour). There is also a by-election in Barnack after the resignation of long-serving Conservative councillor Irene Walsh. The candidates are Andy Coles (Conservative), Dave Pardoe (Greens), Barbara Reid (Labour), Yvonne Scarrott (Reform UK) and Kevin Tighe (Independent). Voting takes place on 1 May. Follow Peterborough news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. 'No impact on care' from hospice mansion sale New £17m service station opens on major route
BBC News
03-04-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Ukrainian refugees can apply to stay longer in Peterborough
Ukrainians are now able to sign up for a scheme which allows them to remain in Peterborough for a further 18 Ukraine Permission Extension scheme (UPE) has been made available to those already granted permission to stay in the UK under other schemes, including Homes for Ukraine, the Ukraine Family Scheme or Ukraine Extension a full meeting in March, Peterborough City Council revealed it had only spent half of its £3m funding for supporting Ukrainians in the city since 2022, the Local Democracy Reporting Service Jones, Labour cabinet member for housing and communities, explained the money was ring-fenced and likely to be unused for the three-year period. She noted the council would not receive any more government funding to support Ukrainian refugees, but the authority could use the remaining unspent ring-fenced funding, understood to be about £ council's Help scheme also offered support for Ukrainians in Peterborough. Applications can only be made by those whose current permission has 28 days or fewer remaining until it council warned that early applications for the scheme may not be accepted and late applications may lead to permissions being UPE extends the offer of temporary sanctuary for Ukrainians and their eligible family members following expiration of their three-year well as allowing the refugees to stay for another 18 months, it provides them with the same entitlements to work, study, rent and receive applying on the government website, as well as providing proof of identity and relevant documents, the Home Office will consider applications and make a decision within eight weeks. Follow Peterborough news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
BBC News
24-02-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Ukrainian mother fears losing her Birmingham home three years on
A professor has recalled the "traumatic" experience of fleeing the war in Ukraine and says refugees are still facing uncertainty three years on. Natalia Kogut, who works at the University of Birmingham as a research fellow, was one of more than 300,000 Ukrainians given sanctuary in the UK after Russia's full-scale invasion of the country. She has claimed that many Ukrainians now face losing their jobs and tenancy agreements due to their temporary visas running out. The Home Office said those with permission could apply to remain in the UK for an additional 18 months. Ms Kogut claimed she was having trouble extending her own tenancy due to her visa expiring in March, leaving her facing an uncertain future. "It's just impossible," the 42-year-old said. "It's not even possible to take out a loan for a mobile phone. "It's a serious problem for Ukrainians. We have no stability [and] we can't plan for the future." Charities have also called on the government to rethink the visas offered to those who fled the war in eastern Europe. Many Ukrainian nationals who moved to the UK in February 2022 will soon have to apply to extend their visa via the Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme (UPE).But while it offers an 18-month extension, it does not offer any permanent option to remain. According to those supported by the Ukraine Appeal charity based in Buckinghamshire, some employers are reluctant to hire Ukrainians because of their temporary status. Ms Kogut, from Kyiv, said she thought she would be in Birmingham for just a "few months" but now wants to stay in the UK's second city, where she has rebuilt her life. "The process has been very difficult," she explained. "Three years feels like 10 years at least."It's horrible. We still don't know what is going to happen with Ukraine [or] whether it will even exist." The Home Office said the conflict was "unpredictable" in nature, and it would continue to keep its Ukraine schemes under review. Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
The temporary UK visas worrying Ukrainian refugees
A charity is calling on the government to rethink the visas it offers Ukrainians living in the UK and include a permanent route to settlement. Many Ukrainian nationals, who moved to the UK after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, will soon have to apply to extend their visa via the Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme (UPE). While it offered an 18-month extension, it does not offer any permanent option to remain. The Home Office said the "offer of sanctuary is in line with the Ukrainian government's strong desire for the future return of its citizens, and other routes are available for those wishing to settle permanently in the UK". Ukraine Appeal, which supports migrants in Buckinghamshire, said it was "very very difficult" for those who have fled war to deal with uncertainty surrounding their future. Viktoriya Shtanko, who has lived in Milton Keynes since 2008, set up the charity to help fellow Ukrainians arriving in the area. She believed Ukrainians who wanted to, should be allowed to remain in Britain long-term to help grow the economy. "No-one expected the war would go for so long," she said. "Now as the children are settled, and as adults are in work trying to contribute to society... they are the people who Britain needs." Iryna Maracine and Valeriia Pavliuk were just two of the women the charity has supported. Ms Maracine, 38, works as a carer in a care home in Milton Keynes. Her hometown of Lysychansk, in eastern Ukraine, was under occupation by the Russian army. She told the BBC: "Everything is destroyed. A lot of buildings are burned, it's absolutely heartbreaking." She said she had no home to return to and wanted certainty for her two sons, aged 12 and 16, who were settled in school here. "I'm worried about my future," she added. "We are very appreciative of what we have and this chance to stay safe, but my kids - they ask me all the time, 'Mum, what is our future?' and I don't have an answer for them." Ms Pavliuk, 26, works as an administrator. She believes her employment opportunities have been limited because of the temporary nature of the UK's visa scheme. She said some employers were reluctant to hire Ukrainians because they "see this temporary visa and see uncertainty with this person". Ukraine Appeal has been in contact with the MP for Milton Keynes, Emily Darlington. Darlington told the BBC that when she recently spoke to the Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, he assured her that the visa schemes currently in place would remain in place until the end of the war. She acknowledged that some Ukrainians who have built businesses may want to stay beyond the conclusion of the war and said she "would welcome that". However, she stated she could not offer any guarantees that a permanent route to settlement would be offered. "I know some will want to stay - now that happened during the Bosnian war and the UK government successfully made sure that they could," Darlington said. "So for the few that do want to stay, the discussions will happen post the war." The Home Office said since Russian President Vladimir Putin's invasion, more than 300,000 Ukrainians and their families had been given sanctuary in the UK. They added the UPE visas "allow those with permission... to apply for 18 months additional permission to remain in the UK". "Given the unpredictable nature of this conflict, we continue to keep our Ukraine schemes under review," it continued. Last month, the government reversed visa rule changes to allow Ukrainians to bring their children to join them in the UK. It came after the Conservative government restricted eligibility in February 2024, which meant that Ukrainians, without the right to live in the UK permanently, could no longer sponsor people under the Homes for Ukraine scheme, which allowed people to host those fleeing the war. However, at the end of January 2025, the government announced a parent or legal guardian who is in the UK under any of the visa schemes for Ukrainians can apply to sponsor their child under the Homes for Ukraine scheme. Ukraine family visa scheme closes to new applicants Ukrainian family flee to UK for second time
BBC News
20-02-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Buckinghamshire Ukrainian families worry about UK temporary visas
A charity is calling on the government to rethink the visas it offers Ukrainians living in the UK and include a permanent route to settlement. Many Ukrainian nationals, who moved to the UK after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, will soon have to apply to extend their visa via the Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme (UPE). While it offered an 18-month extension, it does not offer any permanent option to remain. The Home Office said the "offer of sanctuary is in line with the Ukrainian government's strong desire for the future return of its citizens, and other routes are available for those wishing to settle permanently in the UK". Ukraine Appeal, which supports migrants in Buckinghamshire, said it was "very very difficult" for those who have fled war to deal with uncertainty surrounding their future. Viktoriya Shtanko, who has lived in Milton Keynes since 2008, set up the charity to help fellow Ukrainians arriving in the believed Ukrainians who wanted to, should be allowed to remain in Britain long-term to help grow the economy. "No-one expected the war would go for so long," she said."Now as the children are settled, and as adults are in work trying to contribute to society... they are the people who Britain needs." Iryna Maracine and Valeriia Pavliuk were just two of the women the charity has supported. Ms Maracine, 38, works as a carer in a care home in Milton Keynes. Her hometown of Lysychansk, in eastern Ukraine, was under occupation by the Russian army. She told the BBC: "Everything is destroyed. A lot of buildings are burned, it's absolutely heartbreaking."She said she had no home to return to and wanted certainty for her two sons, aged 12 and 16, who were settled in school here. "I'm worried about my future," she added."We are very appreciative of what we have and this chance to stay safe, but my kids - they ask me all the time, 'Mum, what is our future?' and I don't have an answer for them." Ms Pavliuk, 26, works as an administrator. She believes her employment opportunities have been limited because of the temporary nature of the UK's visa scheme. She said some employers were reluctant to hire Ukrainians because they "see this temporary visa and see uncertainty with this person". Ukraine Appeal has been in contact with the MP for Milton Keynes, Emily told the BBC that when she recently spoke to the Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, he assured her that the visa schemes currently in place would remain in place until the end of the acknowledged that some Ukrainians who have built businesses may want to stay beyond the conclusion of the war and said she "would welcome that".However, she stated she could not offer any guarantees that a permanent route to settlement would be offered."I know some will want to stay - now that happened during the Bosnian war and the UK government successfully made sure that they could," Darlington said. "So for the few that do want to stay, the discussions will happen post the war." The Home Office said since Russian President Vladimir Putin's invasion, more than 300,000 Ukrainians and their families had been given sanctuary in the UK. They added the UPE visas "allow those with permission... to apply for 18 months additional permission to remain in the UK"."Given the unpredictable nature of this conflict, we continue to keep our Ukraine schemes under review," it continued. Last month, the government reversed visa rule changes to allow Ukrainians to bring their children to join them in the came after the Conservative government restricted eligibility in February 2024, which meant that Ukrainians, without the right to live in the UK permanently, could no longer sponsor people under the Homes for Ukraine scheme, which allowed people to host those fleeing the at the end of January 2025, the government announced a parent or legal guardian who is in the UK under any of the visa schemes for Ukrainians can apply to sponsor their child under the Homes for Ukraine scheme.
