VULNERABLE refugees fleeing Ukraine are being put at risk of exploitation because of the Home Office's inability to rapidly process visa applications, York MP Rachael Maskell says.

As reported in The Press last week, dozens of visas have now been granted under the Homes for Ukraine scheme for refugees to stay with York residents.

The first Ukrainian family - a woman and her 13-year-old son - arrived in York last week, with more families expected this week.

But Ms Maskell said the Home Office's inability to rapidly process visa applications was putting vulnerable people at risk.

"We're talking about women and children, older people and disabled people," she said.

"There are huge delays, and meanwhile people are waiting, either in Ukraine, or in Poland or elsewhere.

"They are at real risk of exploitation. We have heard some terrible stories about people being trafficked."

Ms Maskell said refugees from Ukraine - the vast majority of them women and children - should be allowed into the country without visas, so that at least they were safe. She said they could then be properly processed once here.

Ms Maskell, the Labour MP for York Central, admitted that there were safeguarding issues - especially given the vulnerable condition of women and children fleeing Ukraine.

"But that shouldn't mean leaving people fleeing from war stranded," she said.

According to the latest government figures, by last Wednesday, 25,100 visas had been issued under the Homes for Ukraine Scheme. But that was out of 55,600 applications.

According to the UN, almost 5 million people - most of them women and children - have fled Ukraine since the war began on February 24.

As of last week, more than 400 York people had signed up to a register kept by charity York City of Sanctuary to say they were willing to offer accommodation through the Homes for Ukraine scheme or else support refugees in some other way.

York City of Sanctuary and other charities such as Refugee Action York are working closely with the city council to identify and check on sponsor families in the city who are offering accommodation. A refugee committee has been set up, and a support network of Ukrainians already living in York has been established.

Cllr Darryl Smalley, the executive member for culture, leisure and communities at City of York Council, said: “York is a proud City of Sanctuary and a proud City of Human Rights. As such, we will continue to do everything we can to provide a warm welcome to anyone coming to our city.

“The first families are now starting to arrive and we are expecting more over the coming weeks. We know that our new residents will need time and space to settle in and adjust to their new lives, and we are confident that the people of York will continue to extend their welcome and support as they have done previously.”

If you would like to offer support for Ukrainian refugees coming to York, visit york.cityofsanctuary.org/