Skipton Building Society says it will do “everything it can” to help any of its borrowers wanting to be part of the scheme to house refugees fleeing from the Ukraine.

The Society will also sign up to the scheme, offering any vacant properties it owns to refugee families.

Stacey Stothard, head of sustainability at Skipton Building Society, said: “We, like so many others, are watching on in absolute horror at the devastating humanitarian crisis in the Ukraine. We in particular understand the emotional magnitude of having somewhere to call home, somewhere safe, and somewhere where we can live in peace. We simply cannot imagine how traumatising it must be to flee your home against your will, with just the possessions that you can carry, leaving friends, neighbours and loved ones behind.

“We need to do everything within our power to support refugees of this war. As a mortgage lender we commit today to any of our customers wanting to offer space in their homes to refugees that we will do everything we can to make this happen irrespective of our lending criteria rules or the terms and conditions our customers signed when taking their Skipton mortgage. This is the right thing for us to do.

“We’ve already pledged £50,000 to the humanitarian effort. And we will also open our own doors and offer any vacant properties we own to Ukrainian families. Like everyone else, we eagerly await more details from the government, but this will be our starting point. The people fleeing the Ukraine deserve nothing less, and so much more.”