Benedict Cumberbatch plans to take in Ukrainian refugees

Britons will be given £350 ($457) a month to house Ukrainians fleeing war, according to a new government project launched this week, in which actor Benedict Cumberbatch also plans to play his role.

Star of “Doctor Strange” Cumberbatch told Sky News In an interview on the red carpet at the British Academy Film Awards on Sunday, he said that “everyone needs to do everything they can” to support the Ukrainians, as Russia continues its unprovoked attack on the country.

“I really think today the news has revealed that there have been a record number of people volunteering to take people home, and I hope to be a part of that myself and also donate to charities that can help people in a very real way both in Poland and across the border,” Cumberbatch said. straight away, if it’s safe to do so.”

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees said on Friday it estimated more than 2.5 million refugees have fled Ukraine to neighboring countries.

UK Housing Secretary Michael Gove has shared details of the UK Government’s Homes for Ukraine project at BBC interview on Sunday. It will give Britons £350 a month to house Ukrainian refugees for at least six months.

Gove said the British government will launch an online portal on Monday for Britons to register their interest in the scheme, with the process of matching refugees with UK homes starting on Friday. He said opinion polls indicated “hundreds of thousands” of Britons were willing to take in Ukrainian refugees.

Goff said he himself was exploring the possibility of taking in refugees.

As of Sunday afternoon, 4000 people have been granted UK visas According to the State Ukrainian Family Scheme, according to the Ministry of the Interior. Goff predicted that the UK could take in “tens of thousands” of Ukrainian refugees.

He added that he wanted to explore the option of using the properties of the sanctioned Russian oligarchs “for humanitarian and other purposes”.

Last week, the UK government Added seven more Russian oligarchs on the sanctions list, freezing their assets and imposing a travel ban.

The list includes billionaire Roman Abramovich, who is trying to sell English football club Chelsea. Abramovich’s portfolio of properties includes £150m Kensington Palace and the Chelsea Waterfront penthouse purchased for £22m in 2018.

Another on the list is billionaire Oleg Deripaska, who owns a multi-million pound property portfolio in the UK, according to the government.

–CNBC’s Karen Gilchrist contributed to this report.