Ukrainians in the UK, in figures
| Indicator | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Ukraine scheme visas granted, March 2022 – June 2026 | 290,044 | Home Office, year ending June 2026 |
| Extensions granted under the Ukraine Permission Extension, Feb. 2025 – June 2026 | 159,341 | Home Office |
| Length of a Ukraine Permission Extension | 18 more months | GOV.UK |
| Adorée Study respondents living in the UK | 9% — fourth country of the sample | Adorée Study 2026 |
| Respondents not in a relationship | 52% — of whom 1 in 4 actively looking | Adorée Study 2026 |
| Respondents not using any dating app | 87% | Adorée Study 2026 |
What is different about meeting her in the UK
- She is here on her own terms. Her visa and its extension give her the right to live and work in the UK; she does not need a relationship to stay, and an approach that suggests otherwise ends the conversation.
- English is often already the shared language. It is the language of her job and of her children’s school, and about half of Ukrainians displaced in Europe speak it. Where it is still tiring, patience matters more than fluency.
- Many arrived through Homes for Ukraine and spent months in a stranger’s home. Gratitude and independence matter to her in equal measure; she has had enough of being someone’s project.
- She is probably a mother. More than half of the women in the study have a child in their care. A relationship with her includes a household that already exists.
- She has seen the “Ukrainian brides” adverts. Seriousness is not something you claim in a first message; it is what you show over the first weeks.
Where to meet her without being scammed
- General dating apps: possible, but 87% of the women in the study are not on them, and those who left cite fake profiles and men who were not looking for anything serious.
- Sites that charge per letter or per minute of chat: they mostly present women living in Ukraine, and the billing rewards conversations that never end. Read the signs in our romance-scams guide before buying “credits”.
- Community life: Ukrainian churches, Saturday schools and cultural centres in London, Manchester, Edinburgh and elsewhere are places of belonging, not hunting grounds. Go if you have a reason to be there.
- A private introduction service: both people are checked, the introduction is mutual, and nobody pays per message. Ask who runs it, how members are checked and how you pay before you join any.
What she is looking for
Asked what matters most in a partner, the women in the study ranked stability and security first (68%), then respect and gentleness (54%), then commitment and seriousness (48%). Nothing about appearance, income or lifestyle made the top three.
Three in five would consider moving within Europe for love; the others have rebuilt their lives once and want to stay where they are. Both answers deserve respect, and a serious introduction asks the question before anything else.