One family was denied asylum despite their teenage daughter suffering from panic attacks after fleeing Kyiv at the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion. According to Sky News, the UK Home Office told the family they could return to Ukraine and consider using noise-canceling headphones to help manage her symptoms.
Sky News reviewed the official refusal letter from the Home Office.
“You may wish to consider purchasing noise-canceling headphones and soundproofing rooms to alleviate your daughter’s panic attack symptoms,” the letter states.
The girl’s mother said she fled Ukraine with her five children on the second day of the invasion, leaving behind her husband and mother-in-law.
“My daughter began having panic attacks because of everything we went through, and doctors in the UK have been helping her. She hadn’t had them for a long time. But she’s a teenager, not a small child — she understands everything. After being told to return to Ukraine and just wear noise-canceling headphones, her panic attacks started again,” the mother said.
The family was told they could relocate to Chernivtsi, Ternopil or Rivne. The mother said she does not consider those cities safe, noting that Russia has struck targets across the country.
“The Foreign Office travel advice says that all travel to western Ukraine, except essential travel, is dangerous. Why are my children worth less than British citizens?” she said.
The family is currently appealing the decision.
According to lawyers cited by Sky News, most asylum applications from Ukrainians have been rejected since April 2025. The British government disputes that assessment. However, Home Office data for 2024–2025 shows a sharp decline in approval rates: as of September 2025, fewer than 5% of Ukrainian asylum claims were granted.
Since Feb. 24, 2022, the UK has accepted approximately 310,000 Ukrainian refugees, the report said.