A warm-hearted couple who took in Ukrainian refugees have fallen foul of bureaucratic red-tape.

Naomi and Ian Vallely were introduced to the Ukrainian family – comprising a grandmother, mother and five-year-old son – by a friend.

The couple, of Beltring Road, Tunbridge Wells, befriended the Ukrainians who had already been in the UK since last March and soon learnt that although they liked their host family, they were not happy in the small village in East Sussex where they lived.

Without their own transport and with a poor bus service, they felt isolated and were unable to easily travel to Tunbridge Wells, where there is a significant Ukrainian community for them to socialise with.

So two months go, the Vallelys took the Ukranians into their home, which they share with their daughter.

But when they applied to Kent County Council for the monthly £500 ‘thank you’ payment usually given to host families, they were told that KCC can’t give it to them because their family were initially registered in East Sussex. Similarly East Sussex can’t pay them because they are now in Kent.

Mrs Vallely said: “It seems a bit of a nonsense.”

She said: “We didn’t take them in for the money of course and it’s not as though we are going to throw them out. But obviously with six people in the house instead of three, all the bills are going up.

“Things are going to be a bit stretched.”

At least their guests are happy. They’ve signed on with a local GP and the boy has a place at a nearby school.

Mrs Vallely added: “They are still very much looking forward to the time when they can go home to Ukraine.”

A KCC spokesman said: “We’re very proud that Kent residents are generously hosting more Ukrainian families than any other county in the UK.”

He said: “But to manage pressures on local services – like schools, health care and housing – we are not able to accept guests who have been matched with hosts in other areas unless there are exceptional circumstances.

“We can’t discuss individual cases but the approach Kent has taken is in line with central government guidance.”

The council said that government guidance required re-matches to be accepted by any receiving local authority in order for them to unlock funding for wraparound care.

The spokesman added: “We continue to need more host families in Kent for families still fleeing the conflict in Ukraine and anyone interested in becoming a host, or wishing to host again, can email us at ukraine@kent.gov.uk or call 03000 412424.

“We are also looking at longer-term solutions for guests.

“We also want to hear from landlords, people who have a second home or a spare room, who may wish to consider providing longer-term private rental offers to people settling here and find out more about potential benefits and incentives for doing so, outside of the Homes for Ukraine scheme.”