Kathrine Frich
Ukrainian families who fled the war say they are facing a new battle in Britain to remain.
Several applicants claim their asylum cases have been rejected on the grounds that parts of Ukraine are considered safe, despite the conflict entering its fifth year.
Headphones advice
According to letters seen by Sky News, the Home Office told one family that their teenage daughter could consider “noise-cancelling headphones and soundproofing rooms to manage panic attacks” if returned to Ukraine.
The family had fled Kyiv in the early days of Russia’s invasion.
The mother said her daughter developed severe anxiety after experiencing bombardment, and UK doctors had helped stabilise her condition.
However, officials concluded that relocation to a “non-conflict zone” meant her case did not meet the threshold for serious harm under asylum rules.
Since being told they must return, the girl’s panic attacks have reportedly resumed.
‘Safe’ regions disputed
Home Office guidance published in January 2025 states that conditions across Ukraine do not amount to inhuman or degrading treatment nationwide.
Applicants have been advised they could move to western cities including Chernivtsi, Rivne or Ternopil.
A November strike on Ternopil killed 38 people and injured more than 120.
The UN Refugee Agency has warned that “No part of the country should be considered safe.”
One mother questioned the policy, asking why UK government travel advice warns British nationals against all but essential travel to western Ukraine while her children are expected to live there.
Rising refusals
More than 310,000 Ukrainians have entered the UK under special visa schemes introduced after Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Those routes, however, do not automatically lead to permanent settlement.
Home Office data indicates that while most Ukrainian asylum claims were approved before April 2025, refusals have increased since then.
In another case, a family from Mariupol, whose home was destroyed, saw their claim rejected despite officials accepting the father had been tortured and feared persecution. Authorities determined he would not face a “real risk” if relocated within Ukraine.
The couple’s young son, who is autistic, stopped speaking after their home was bombed. His mother said he has improved in Britain but could regress if uprooted again. The Home Office concluded his circumstances did not meet the test of “exceptional compassionate circumstances.”
310,000 Ukrainians offered support
Liberal Democrat MP John Milne has urged the Government to provide a clearer route to settlement, warning that repeated short-term extensions create prolonged uncertainty.
A Home Office spokesperson said: “Our Ukraine schemes remain open for those seeking sanctuary.
More than 310,000 Ukrainians and their families have been offered or granted continued support.
“In September 2025, we announced the Ukraine Permission Extension scheme would be extended for a further 24-month period following the initial 18-month period.”
Sources: Sky News, UN Refugee Agency, Home Office
