France leaves Ukrainian refugees without shelter: it’s time to pack your bags

In 2025, France significantly reduced the amount of support for Ukrainian refugees fleeing the war, particularly in the financing of housing and social benefits. This left thousands of families on the verge of survival, forced to look for other ways to provide for themselves.

According to information from Le Monde, the French government is changing its approach to supporting Ukrainians who have received temporary protection status. Some programs, both state and charitable, have already been suspended, while others have significantly limited their capabilities. Social benefits have become a significant problem: Ukrainians without official employment lose their right to a guaranteed income. Only persons with refugee status can receive this assistance, which is accompanied by strict restrictions, including a ban on leaving Ukraine.

According to data from France’s Immigration and Integration Office, more than 35,000 Ukrainians have received temporary protection in the country. However, by the end of 2024, about half of them no longer received state assistance for housing or rent. The government explains this by the need to stimulate foreigners’ financial independence.

The housing sector was the most affected. Previously, refugees had access to about 8,000 places to live, but in 2025, there will be only 4,000. The mechanism by which the state partially reimbursed housing costs was also discontinued. A significant reduction in the housing department’s budget, from 40 million to 20 million euros, has led to a decrease in the number of households receiving assistance by almost three times, from 25,000 to 9,000.

Charities are also cutting back on their programs. For example, France Horizon has canceled some of its housing programs, although its management assures that all clients have found alternative options. Another organization, Entraide Protestante, is ending funding for 74 hotel apartments in Toulouse by the end of the year and will not provide help to families who have rejected alternatives or have not tried to find new accommodation.

In the Loire-Atlantique department, approximately ten families remain in an uncertain situation, having previously received support from the Solidarité Estuaire. In general, Ukrainians in France face various difficulties: some have managed to get a foothold in the housing market thanks to charitable funds, while others are forced to live in the same apartment with several families due to changes in housing policy.

An additional complication was that some Ukrainians were denied the extension of temporary protection because they originated from regions that, according to the French side, are not considered zones of active hostilities. Thus, the reduction of financial aid in France threatens the safety and stability of the lives of refugees.