Ukrainian refugee queries: FOI release

Information requested

The total cost to the Scottish Government to date in supporting Ukrainian refugees arriving in Scotland since the start of the conflict in Ukraine

Any forecasted or projected costs for supporting Ukrainian refugees in Scotland over the next two financial years.

Copies of any current plans, policy papers, or internal discussions held by the Scottish Government relating to the future return of Ukrainian refugees to Ukraine, should the war or hostilities cease.

Confirmation of whether the Scottish Government is engaging with the UK Government on policies regarding the long-term status of Ukrainian refugees in Scotland.

Response

I enclose a copy of most of the information you requested.

The costs to date of supporting Ukrainian refugees arriving in Scotland since the start of the conflict are as follows:

22-23: £231 million
23-24: £170 million
24-25: £41 million
25-26 (to date): £7 million

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we are unable to provide some of the information you have requested because an exemption under s.29(1)(a) (policy formulation) of FOISA applies to that information. Provision of forecast levels of spend in future years based on policies yet to be agreed and decisions yet to be made by Scottish Ministers in advance of the Scottish Budget would have potential to pre-empt that budget-setting process.

This exemption is subject to the 'public interest test'. Therefore, taking account of all the circumstances of this case, we have considered if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exemption. We have found that, on balance, the public interest lies in favour of upholding the exemption. We recognise that there is some public interest in release because of the desire to understand how much may be spent in this policy area in future. However, this is outweighed by the public interest in maintaining the integrity of the Budget-setting process.

Further, while our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Scottish Government does not have some of the information you have requested. Specifically, no records have been found of any current plans, policy papers, or internal discussions held by the Scottish Government relating to the future return of Ukrainian refugees to Ukraine, should the war or hostilities cease.

On the matter of the Scottish Government engaging with UK Government on policies regarding the long-term status of Ukrainian refugees in Scotland, immigration is a reserved matter for the UK Government. However, the Scottish Government is clear that displaced people from Ukraine should be able to remain and be supported in Scotland for as long as they need to be, and we regularly engage with the UK Government at both official and ministerial level to advocate for the Ukrainian community in Scotland.

For example, we can confirm that the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice wrote to the Home Secretary on 19 August 2025 raising concerns about the implementation of the Ukraine Permission Extension (UPE) scheme and pressing for better support and guidance for applicants. The Cabinet Secretary received a reply from the UK Government’s new Minister for Migration and Citizenship on 7 Oct confirming that further details on the successor scheme will follow in due course.

Additionally, in December 2024, the Scottish Government arranged for Home Office officials to meet with representatives of the Ukrainian community in Scotland to hear their concerns about ongoing housing and employment uncertainty caused by the nature of short-term visas. You may wish to review the published minutes of that meeting: Ukraine Resettlement: Stakeholder Reference Group minutes - December 2024 - gov.scot

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.