Clarification on FOI request FOI/202400423455: FOI release

Information requested

You asked for clarification on FOI request FOI/202400423455. Specifically, you queried the data contained within that response which stated that 47,796 Ukrainian refugees have arrived in the UK since the war in Ukraine started.

You also requested confirmation of the time period these figures related to, and whether they were from 2014 or 2022.

Response

Unfortunately, FOI/202400423455, which was published on July 30, 2024 contained incorrect data. It has now been removed from our website and the original correspondent has been notified.

It appears that case-handlers misinterpreted the request in FOI/202400423455 and the data provided referred to the number of people from Ukraine who had applied for a ‘Homes for Ukraine’ visa and who wanted to be sponsored by either an individual in Scotland or by the Scottish Government, and not as the FOI requested, the number of Ukrainian people who had moved to Scotland since the war broke out.

The most recent statistics (published 21 August 2025), show that 28,979 people have arrived in the UK since 2022 via the ‘Homes for Ukraine’ visa scheme who were sponsored either by an individual in Scotland or by the Scottish Government.

This data is published regularly on the UK Government website here.

Once people have arrived in the UK, neither the Scottish or UK Governments track or monitor their movements and it is therefore not possible to give an exact figure of how many of these visa-holders have settled in Scotland.

People fleeing the war in Ukraine have been able to enter the UK on several different visa schemes since 2022. These schemes include the ‘Homes for Ukraine’ scheme (whereby both individuals and the Scottish Government have sponsored people from Ukraine) and the Ukraine Family Scheme. Ukrainian people may also be eligible for other standard UK entry visas such as the Student Visa or Skilled Worker Visa.

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at https://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.