News item | 06-04-2022 | 18:37
Due to the enormous efforts of a large group of dedicated people in security regions and municipalities, 33,796 reception places for refugees from Ukraine have been realized, of which 24,020 are now occupied. In addition, thousands of private individuals make their homes available to refugees.
The Russian aggression in Ukraine causes human suffering on a scale that also poses major challenges for the Netherlands. How big is uncertain, because that depends on the course and duration of the war, the damage that is caused and other unforeseen developments. It is conceivable that Ukrainian refugees have been part of our society for a long time.
The cabinet is taking various scenarios into account. We must be ready for everyone who flees Ukraine and comes to the Netherlands. We are working together to achieve this.
That is why the Ministerial Crisis Management Committee (MCCb) for the reception of refugees from Ukraine met again today. A number of decisions have been made in this regard.
No effect on guest household allowances
When refugees from Ukraine register at the same address as the host household, they can in a number of cases become an allowance partner of the host household. They may also be counted as co-residents for the rent allowance. The government does not consider it desirable that a host household that takes in refugees from Ukraine receives fewer allowances as a result. We are working on a solution to prevent this. The details of these plans are submitted to the House of Representatives.
Financial agreements with municipalities
Municipalities and security regions receive real compensation for housing refugees. The basic principle is that they will not be in a worse position as a result of the reception of refugees. Municipalities can enter into a contract for housing with a location for a maximum period of 12 months. We see this going well in practice. Municipalities are also asked to take into account the possibility of using the location at any time for other purposes, such as emergency seekers and student housing.
Emergency support students
The cabinet has decided to allocate a maximum of 2.5 million euros for the time being for emergency support for Ukrainian students in MBO and higher education. This concerns students in the current academic year, who were already studying in the Netherlands before the war broke out and are now affected by the consequences of the war against Ukraine. Various MBO schools, colleges and universities are currently providing emergency support to students. Because the institutions do not have sufficient resources to accommodate these students, the cabinet supports these educational institutions.