Refugees - How will our finances cope?

Maybe this means governments should be funding our public services - schools, hospitals, police, social care, properly and not be content with cutting things to the verge of collapse, whilst energy companies, big pharmaceuticals, banks etc take billions in profits. If we actually had decent public services which people could rely on then most would be happier to share. We are one of the most unequal societies in Europe with vast areas of wealth running along side people sleeping in doorways. But hey, that’s what people voted for.

I meant because if you are accommodating a refugee you haven't got time to fall sick and go in an NHS queue for treatment or else the refugees would become homeless AGAIN.

Refugees - How will our finances cope?
Our finances will cope just fine for the relatively small number of refugees who will be coming to the UK.

Gelleh

Companies like Bupa, and Aviva should offer free private health care to any household accommodating refugees. That would be a start.

No Gelleh, because that would be weird.

You don't get preferential healthcare just because you're kind hearted. Any more than you should miss out on it because you have a small home.

Just imagine if we were in the same boat and someone was bombing us to kingdom come. Mothers with elderly relatives, young children. Many of us would be desperate to get out to a country that's kindly offering to take us in.

I'd hope I'd not encounter anyone who would be oblivious to my future, only caring about themselves.

These Ukranians won't want to settle here. They want to go home when they can. We're a safe haven for a while.

Thankfully most of us appear willing to do everything we can without worrying about costs.

I do think how awful it must be. A few short weeks ago they were like us, at home, working, retired living their lives. So they are straightforward refugees. It isn't their problem but I think we are about to run into a lot of monetary problems and it is strange how money always seems to turn up, I thought there was not enough to pay us our proper pension increases and fund the NHS, was there or wasn't there?

No we wouldn’t GJ. Most working people had very little then and there was no NHS. The more we have the greedier and more protective we get. I do sympathise with FindingNemo’s husband and those in a similar situation though, it shouldn’t happen.

Companies like Bupa, and Aviva should offer free private health care to any household accommodating refugees. That would be a start.

I'm more worried about the hundreds and hundreds of new houses being built around here without new infrastructure such as roads, and no sign of a new school, nor more GP surgeries and not a hospital for 25 miles.

Not everybody has the money to go private.

...which is why we have an NHS that we should fund and run properly.

Would we have said the same in WW2 when we took in Jewish refugees?

FindingNemo15

I too am worried about the NHS with the extra people that will be using it. My DH has two broken hips, cannot walk, has fallen three times and has been waiting for an operation for almost a year!

That's a fairly valid worry.
Your poor husband must be in a lot of pain.
I sympathise.
Not everybody has rhe money to go private.

? Call

volver

I'm not wondering about what MerylStreep meant. I think I understood that.

It was linking the two statements

I understood what you meant but others might not.

LilyoftheValley

MerylStreep. Benefits, housing , free healthcare perhaps? I am nearing retirement age and see a really bleak future.

Not as bleak as if you lived in Ukraine, though.

I'm not wondering about what MerylStreep meant. I think I understood that.

What I understood MerylStreep to mean was that Ukrainian refugees will want to go home again when the fighting stops and Ukraine is freed. It is obvious that they love their country and will want to rebuild it.

Millions of Syrian refugees are still in camps not far from the border with Syria - hoping that one day they can return to Syria, rebuild that devastated country (Assad and Putin) and live in peace.

How can one man devastate so many lives?
Pure evil.

I too am worried about the NHS with the extra people that will be using it. My DH has two broken hips, cannot walk, has fallen three times and has been waiting for an operation for almost a year!

Their country is at war. Being decimated.

If it were us, we'd want help.

So I'm putting two and two together here, maybe making 5...

MerylStreep asks why the refugees might want to stay here.

LilyoftheValley says Benefits, housing , free healthcare perhaps?

Is there really a school of thought that says the Ukrainian people, who are fighting so bravely for their country, might want to stay on in this country because they'll get benefits?

The fact that millions has been found to help these poor folk is surely confirmation that the dreadful state of public services in this country is a political, not a solely financial decision. This is a rich country, we have plenty of money, it just doesn't get spent properly. Please don't start blaming Ukrainian refugees for the fact that your pension is insufficient. The Hong Kong 'refugees' were not taken in kindness, a lot of them are from very wealthy families, and many have had properties in London for decades, ready for such a time as when they needed them.

I have no problem with the Ukrainian refugees they are fleeing a war and they are mostly women, children and the elderly and will probably want to go back to Ukraine when this terrible war is over. I'm not so happy about the mostly young fit men coming over in the dingeys who we are putting up in hotels.

Pretty much the same as us Meryl. I had assumed OP was older but she’s still working. I wouldn’t be calling it a bleak future at her age.

LillyoftheVally
I’m a bit closer to maybe wanting care than you. 76 this year.
No fat pensions for us, just investments which could go tits ( who knows)
I’ve never been one to look for something to worry about, I might be dead tomorrow.

Your wondering how we will financially cope with these costs.
Did you ask the same question when billions were spent/wasted on track and trace.
The powers that be whistled that hideous sum out of nowhere.