Lib Dem win on extending visas for Ukrainian families

Following Liberal Democrat pressure in the House of Commons, the Government has recently announced a 24-month Ukraine Permission Extension (UPE) scheme, providing clarity for thousands of Ukrainians whose three-year visas were due to expire.

This is a major win for Ukrainian families in the UK - many of whom faced potential eviction, job losses, and loss of access to schools and healthcare.

The announcement follows Martin Wrigley MP’s challenge at PMQs in July, where he asked Keir Starmer whether he would meet Ukrainians living in his constituency. These Ukrainians feared their visas running out and never being able to return, as some refugees are now being turned away because Ukraine is wrongly deemed to be safe.

Many Ukrainians, who now have jobs in the UK or are in education, would have their whole lives upended if they were forced to leave.

We’re now urging the Government to go much further to give families long-term security - without the threat of a cliff-edge.

At September's Lib Dem Autumn Conference in Bournemouth, we’ll be debating a motion entitled ‘Certainty for Ukrainian Children Living in the UK’. This includes steps, such as automatically extending visas, to provide Ukrainians with more stability.