The Isle of Wight Council will spend more on housing Ukrainian and Afghan refugees than on affordable housing for Islanders this financial year, new figures have revealed.
It is forecast that by the end of the 2024/25 financial year, in April, the local authority will have spent £177,402 on refugee housing. This is in addition to £2.2million the Council was given in 2023 to purchase homes for 9 Ukrainian families.
In contrast, just £156,000 will be spent on affordable housing for Isle of Wight residents this year. Previously, the Council expected to spend £12.5million on affordable housing in 2024/25.
The figures have been revealed in papers released ahead of the forthcoming 2025/26 Budget.
However, there is some positive news on the horizon… over the next 2 years, the Isle of Wight Council is set to spend some £39million on affordable housing here on the Island.
An Isle of Wight Council spokesperson has said:
“This year, we are forecast to invest over £1.5 million in housing schemes including affordable and community-led housing projects, as well as temporary accommodation. Additionally, we have allocated government funding through the Brownfield Land Release Programme to prepare land for disposal for new housing developments.
“Looking ahead to 2025/26, the council plans to continue to invest in affordable housing schemes and an additional £950,500 in community-led housing projects.
Article continues below this advertisement “Like many local authorities across the country, the council was successful in securing government funding to purchase accommodation for families with housing needs who have arrived in the UK from Ukraine and those on Afghan resettlement and relocation schemes. The £177,000 referred to relates to this scheme and in the future the property will be made available to the council for temporary housing.
“The shortage of real, affordable homes is a pressing issue for our Island and one that requires multifaceted solutions, creative approaches, and determination to overcome the financial constraints that have been holding us back for far too long. We must find a way to ensure houses are built to provide homes for families and younger people, those wanting to start out on the housing ladder, and those struggling to find a house to live in, whether rented or bought.”
A plane ticket back home is all that should be provided!!
Better still why don’t you get a 1 way ticket
off the island.
These people didn’t choose for wars to take
place in their countries.
(Sounds like you have had it too good)
Stop being a Reformer and welcome them to our
shores.
The NHS needs more staff, many of these persons
are grafters.
You literally have no clue!
I know you must be a Reformer,
am I right or am I wrong
Lol
You clearly have somewhere to live i’m guessing not on the islands waiting list..it is not a bout being on the left or right its about looking after your own first, as i’m sure any ukainian or afgan would in their own country.
You uneducated fool. These immigrants should settle in the first safe country they reach. This international law you muppet.
Not as refugees. All countries have a quota, and Afghani’s were allowed because WE withdrew our peacekeeping support and rendered them in significant danger. How about you trot off and learn the differences between migrants and refugees, legal quotas and foreign aid, and while you’re at it see if you can find the political reason why only £156,000 was spent on housing islanders as opposed to the £12.5m promised by the last government. Or do your thinking skills only function when triggered by the word ‘refugees’?
You sound like an uneducated Reformer,
never too late to change.
So many nasty racists in the world.
What the hell are you talking about, idiot.
What a dr
What a drain on our society this has, immigrants slowly stretching all our resources we haven’t got enough for our own people let alone more, they will take take take & never give back, they must think it’s cushy here in UK, providing houses & benefits & food.
So many R’acists living on the island.
It’s 2025 the island needs diversity,
bring them over, people are people
where ever they come from.
It has nothing to do with racism,diversity does Not work do you want the island to be like,manchester,birmingham,rotheram etc?
no go areas,crime and rapes etc?
you need to open your eyes more and see whats happing to our country,and a vast majority are not fleeing wars,they are here for the freebies,but you wont recognise that because its “racist” you really are dim.
Learn some facts. Look up the crime stats in those areas in relation to race, gender etc or immigration status. As for immigrants, the vast number in UK now with browner faces are here because we asked them to come to shore up the NHS, care etc. Why? Because people like you voted for Brexit and sent all the Europeans home. If that hadn’t happened, most people would not have been able to easily tell who was or wasn’t an immigrant. If, as you’d like, they all left tomorrow the NHS and social care would fold overnight. And yes, your blinkered, ignorant attitude is racism.
Well said, the Brexiteers caused this problem
in the first place, they never knew what they
were voting for, they just had racist reasons
to vote Brexit
It backfired on them.
Lol
The country needs these people
to do the Job’s that the lazy Britain’s
don’t want to do.
Too many British people are work shy.
We do not need diversity,blair started this diversity rubbish.now look at the state of the country!
The island needs more culture,
it’s been stuck in a 1970s time warp
for far too long.
More Labour policies destroying the Island!
This is the problem you get when you have a government who cares more about foreigners then their own people,
I suspect our council have no choice on this wasteful spending and this is all thanks to our egregious Labour government. Worst Government this country has ever had!!
Labour policy, from the dates mentioned? You sure? Which government implemented Brexit, thus eliminating the border policies we had beforehand? Which government was in when those monies were ear-marked? Who doesn’t pay attention to detail? Why, that’ll be the beer-swilling, drum-beating, arse-scratching navel-gazing patriots I suppose.
So polite reasoned argument not your strongest talent eh? Fine, just so we know.
How dare they?
You sound like another Reformer
so many selfish uneducated persons
living on the island.
So sad
Why shouldn’t these people be allowed to
live on the Isle of Wight, it’s a free country.
You could always move off to make way for the
needy.
Have some move next to you,or even better,take some into your home,but you wont do that would you,apparently anyone who is against immigration is racist or a reformer in your,blinkered vision,your lack of intelligence in your woke comments really do make me realise you need to get out more!
I’ve done both. No problem, lovely people. You need to be able to distinguish between immigrants and what the news piece is actually talking about though (refugees) because otherwise you sound like a privileged racist plum. Not a good look. Wouldn’t want to live next door to someone like that.
I have lived next door to Bangladesh families
up north, very nice friendly and helpful people,
better than many white British people.
You should try it one day and see for yourself.
You have a lot to learn.
What a lot of disgusting comments. Send Ukranian refugees back? Seriously? Do you not watch the news? Just as disgusting though is why someone would seek to draw a comparison between some money spent on helping people in need and the money already earmarked for those not likely to be bombed, shot at, tortured or persecuted. THIS YEAR’S MON|EY was decided a few years ago under a different government’s rules, as was refugee status. Maybe a news report on that would be useful.
I say bring more to the island, their children can
fill the empty classrooms, people are moaning
about empty schools closing.
So many uneducated Reformers on the island,
these persons didn’t want to leave their countries.
Utter bullcrap!
Let’s hope IW Council house some of these lovely
people near you.
Well done IW Council, these poor people
didn’t ask for wars in their country and have a
right to have a roof over their head.
So many people dislike other cultures!, that would
make me move more persons to the island.
Why dont you move to rotheram,see how long you last,buffoon!
What, where fascists who refused to learn the difference between refugees and immigrants tried to burn down 200 men, women and children without any conscience whatsoever, simply running on pure hatred for ‘others’?
Bit cold up North, that’s why I moved down
South when I retired.
I tell you what, why don’t you let some of them come stay with you, if your so welcoming.