The UK will extend the Ukraine Permission Extension program for an extra 24 months, British Home Secretary Yvette Cooper told the UK House of Commons on Sept. 1.
In a speech to the House, Cooper pledged to “continue to do our bit to support Ukraine”, saying the UK would “extend the Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme by a further 24 months, with further details to be set out in due course.”
The Ukraine Permission Extension (UPE) Scheme allows Ukrainians in the UK on an existing visa scheme, for example, Homes for Ukraine or the Ukraine Family Scheme, to apply for an additional 18 months of permission to stay.
The scheme, which opened on Feb. 4, 2025, is free to apply for and grants the same rights to work, study, rent, and access state support as the original Ukrainian schemes.
Cooper said the extension is evidence of “the British way, to do our bit alongside other countries to help those who need sanctuary”, citing “in the past decade families from Ukraine, Syria, and Hong Kong.”
She concluded by saying that “later this year, we will set out our plans to establish a permanent framework for refugee students to come study in the UK so that we can help talented young people fleeing war and persecution to find a better future,” she did not specify how this might affect Ukrainians, though.
In 2023, the UK Government sparked controversy after saying that Ukrainians would be expected to leave the UK after three years, saying “Ukraine schemes are not a route for permanent relocation to the UK but instead allow for temporary protection until they can return home to rebuild Ukraine.”
It added that UK schemes for taking in refugees “provide Ukrainians with three years’ temporary sanctuary in the UK, until [Vladimir Putin] is defeated and they can safely return home.”
However, it appeared to backtrack on this in Feb. 2024, announcing that Ukrainian refugees could extend their visas by a further 18 months as no end to the war in their homeland was in sight.
In June of this year, The Guardian reported that Ukrainians who fled to the UK were increasingly being denied asylum by the Home Office, which had told them it was safe to return to Ukraine.
Applicants said that their refusal letters had stated that the conflict-related risks of remaining in Ukraine did not meet the threshold for persecution under the refugee convention as they could move to safer parts of the country instead of traveling abroad.
Last week, a Russian overnight attack on Kyiv left the British Council’s Kyiv office severely damaged and closed until further notice, leading the UK to summon the Russian ambassador.
In response, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer wrote on X: “My thoughts are with all those affected by the senseless Russian strikes on Kyiv which have damaged the British Council building.”
“Putin is killing children and civilians, and sabotaging hopes of peace. This bloodshed must end,” he finished.