Russia-Ukraine war: US set to announce $3bn arms package on six-month anniversary of invasion

At this six-month anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – with all its heart-breaking consequences – our own scheme of national generosity and solidarity is a small beacon of hope, Peter Stanford and Abigail Buchanan write.

Launched in March, Homes for Ukraine has seen UK residents open their homes to refugees for a minimum period of six months. Official figures from the end of July show that 119,000 visas have been issued under the scheme, and 95,400 Ukrainians have arrived in the UK to benefit from it. Around 25,000 households have welcomed refugees at their breakfast tables.

But, as the cost of living crisis bites ever deeper, some host families are starting to question whether they will be able to afford to house their guests for much longer.

Read more: ‘These are tough times but we won’t ask our Ukrainian guests to leave – they’re family now’