The city council has agreed to spend £258,000 on new affordable housing for refugees in Headington.

The council has purchased a three-bedroom block of flats at Underhill Circus in Headington and these rooms will be let through the Local Authority Housing Fund.

Earlier this year on April 19, the council agreed to become a part of the local authority housing fund.

This was set up by the government to support councils in providing accommodation to Ukrainian and Afghan refugees settled in the UK.

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thisisoxfordshire: The new homes will be in Headington The new homes will be in Headington (Image: Oxford City Council)

City councillor and housing cabinet member Linda Smith said: “This is a great deal because the government is putting more than a million pounds towards helping the council buy at least six properties."

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Ms Smith said the conditions of signing up to the fund means the initial tenancies must go to refugee families.

thisisoxfordshire: The government fund will be used to support Ukrainian refugeesThe government fund will be used to support Ukrainian refugees (Image: Ed Halford)

She said: “We are a city of sanctuary and are proud to play our part.

“We are keen to take advantage of the government scheme as it will provide a settled home for people fleeing war.”

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The council’s decision to join the government scheme has unlocked up to £1,108,620 in grant funding from the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.

There are 400 people living in Oxford as part of the Homes for Ukraine Scheme and the council has supported 47 families under national re-settlement schemes.

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Ed specialises in writing political stories for the Oxford Mail and The Oxford Times. 

He joined in the team in February 2023, after completing a History undergraduate degree at the University of York and studying for his NCTJ diploma in London.

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