Despite recent statements made by State Secretary Eric van der Burg, a spokesperson for the Dutch government has clarified that families in the Netherlands who volunteer to take in Ukrainian refugees will not receive any compensation from the state.
In a debate in the House of Representatives (Tweede Kamer) on Tuesday afternoon, Van der Burg informed MPs that he was discussing options for securing “expense allowances for people who incur costs, for example because they take [refugees] in.”
The State Secretary for Asylum and Migration made similar comments to the Dutch press, saying it seemed “logical” that “someone who takes in a refugee gets money for this.” Only a few hours later, however, a spokesperson for Van der Burg clarified this wouldn’t be the case: "It is not true that people who take in a Ukrainian get an expense allowance."
Ukrainian refugees who settle in the Netherlands will be entitled to receive an allowance to cover their cost of living, and each individual is able to decide for themselves whether they choose to keep the money or send it to support family still living in Ukraine.
AT5 reports that currently around 700 Ukrainian refugees arrive at Amsterdam Centraal every day, with Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS) expecting this figure will continue to rise over the course of the next few days.
New refugee centres are popping up across the country, as cruise ships, holiday parks, and hotels open their doors to those fleeing the war in Ukraine, as municipalities work to increase their capacity for refugees. As of Monday, at least 6.700 Ukrainian refugees had been registered in the Netherlands - although the real figure is likely significantly higher.
In recent days, the RAI in Amsterdam has been set up as a registration centre to help refugees to find shelter in the Dutch capital. Various hotels, including the Holiday Inn and Savoy Hotel in Amsterdam Zuid, are helping to accommodate around 900 refugees, but the municipality says “the search for additional reception locations continues.” In total, the government expects to receive around 50.000 Ukrainian refugees.
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