Homes for Ukraine: guidance for councils

Overview and purpose

Councils have a critical role to play in the success of the Homes for Ukraine scheme and are uniquely placed to support local communities to offer Ukrainians the warmest possible welcome to the UK.

This document contains guidance to councils and does not replace or contradict their statutory duties or responsibilities.

This initial guidance on the Homes for Ukraine scheme outlines the role of councils across England in supporting the scheme. Scotland and Wales have published their own guidance for councils. Additional advice will be published for councils in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland shortly. We are working with councils and Devolved Administrations to produce further versions of this guidance in the coming days (see final section for details on future guidance topics).

This guidance does not cover displaced persons already in the UK, persons transferring from visitor visas, unaccompanied minors, nor individuals coming in via the Ukraine Family Scheme.Scheme. This guidance applies to the Homes for Ukraine only.

There is separate guidance for sponsors, and a welcome guide for guests of the Homes for Ukraine scheme. Please also refer to the FAQs published online.

Definitions

“Sponsor” or “sponsors” refers to an individual, group or organisation who has been approved to accommodate an individual or household from Ukraine under the “Homes for Ukraine” sponsorship scheme.

“Guest” or “guests” refers to an individual or household previously resident in Ukraine, prior to 1 January 2022, who have secured a visa under the “Homes for Ukraine” scheme, which enables them to be housed by a sponsor.

Background and eligibility

The Homes for Ukraine scheme was launched on 14 March 2022 by the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.

This scheme is open to Ukrainian nationals who were residents in Ukraine prior to 1 January 2022 and also to their immediate family members (for example spouse/partner and children under 18) who may be of other nationalities, to be sponsored to come to the UK. Applicants can apply from Ukraine or from any other third country. PhaseApplicants Onemust be 18 or over on the date of application, unless applying with, or to join in the UK, a parent or legal guardian.

The scheme allows individualindividuals sponsors to sponsor named Ukrainians.

The number of people who can access this scheme is uncapped and is dependent on the capacity of the sponsors who come forward.

Guests will be able to live and work in the UK for up to three years and access benefits, healthcare, employment, and other support.

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Pre and Post arrival checks

Those arriving need to meet standard security checks prior to being issued with a visa. Sponsors will also undergo eligibility and suitability checks prior to any visa being issued and all adults in sponsors’ households will also be subject to initial criminal records checks by the Home Office.

Prior to arrival in the UK, the guest and sponsor are required to complete the online application form which also covers the biometric residence permit (BRP) and gives authorisation for personal data to be shared to help support the sponsor arrangement. To enable visa and security checks to be completed, sponsors will also need to provide evidence of their identity (see details in the application and process section below).

Guests who hold a valid Ukraine international passport or expired passport with a formal extension stamp will not need to attend a Visa Application Centre.Centre (VAC). Guests without a passport will be required to book and attend an appointment at a Visa Application Centre to provide biometric information.

Once a visa application has been accepted and security checks completed, guests will be issued an official permission letter from UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) confirming they can travel to the UK. Official permission letters will be issued to those travelling under the Ukraine Family Scheme and the Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme and will be issued electronically to the correspondence email listed in the application form. Individuals who have attended an appointment at a VAC will be issued with a vignette confirming permission to travel which will be attached to existing travel documents.

The permission to travel letter is not restricted to single entry. However, if a guest chooses to leave the UK before providing their biometrics and receiving a BRP, they will be required to present their permission to travel letter again and receive a new Leave to Remain Outside the Rules (LOTR) stamp on arrival. It is recommended that guests obtain a BRP before leaving the UK.

Upon arrival to the UK guests will be required to show their permission letter to Border Force officers who will endorse their passport with a 6-month entry stamp.

Councils will be required to undertake accommodation and DBS criminal record checks for all adults (16 and over) in the sponsor household. The level of check is determined by the age and needs of the guests. Further information on Accommodation and DBS checks can be found in the ‘role of Councils’ section below. The

Individual scheme will be rolled out in phases. Initially, individual members of the public can sponsor a guest from Ukraine who meets the eligibility criteria for this scheme. In later phases organisations and community groups will be able to sponsor multiple guests. Further details are set out below.

Application process and Phases

On Monday 14 March, the Homes for Ukraine page opened for potential sponsors (individuals and organisations) to record their interest in sponsoring a guest.

Phase One – Individuals sponsoring named guests

On Friday 18 March, a Home Office form opened for visa applications. Sponsors at this stage must be specific individuals.

InEither this phase, either a guest or a sponsor will be able to complete a single application for a visa. The form will ask the person completing it to name both parties.

Sponsors and guests will find each other and match themselves externally. There is no single route to matching, and both the sponsor and guest could use a number of channels to find a match. They could for example already have a relationship in place with a friend in the UK/Ukraine, they could be friends of friends, or could find a sponsor or guest through ana NGO,Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), charity, or other channel.

The process is as follows:

1. Sponsor and guest find each other and agree to a match.

2. Either the sponsor or the guest fills out the single visa application form online using both parties’ details.

3. Passport numbers (alongside completion of eligibility questions and other personal details) for both guests and sponsors will be required to complete the application online. The guest will also need to upload a scan of their passport. If the guest does not possess a passport, they will be required to travel to a visa application centre to process their biometrics. Security checks on both the sponsor and guest are commissioned from the name data declared in the application form. There is no requirement to upload a copy of identity documents for any other member of the sponsor household.

4. After the application is submitted, security checks are done on both the sponsor, all other adults in the sponsor’s household, and the guest.

5. Once both sponsor and guest have passed the checks, the Home Office will issue the guest with a permit to travel.

6. The guest can then travel to the UK and coordinate their arrival with the sponsor.

7. Specific councils will provide welcome arrangements for guests, with additional immediate support provided to guests where it is required (see initial reception role of councils below).

A lead sponsor will be needed for each household. For example, where a couple has applied to sponsor, one of them should be designated as “lead sponsor”.

We have set out the expectation on safeguarding above but are undertaking further work on the safeguarding process around individual sponsors and the adults in their households and this will be shared in the next version of the guidance. More detail is given in the section on the role of councils below.

Future expansion of the scheme

The scheme will subsequently be expanded to enable organisations and community groups to sponsor multiple guests. We are undertaking further work on the safeguarding process around group sponsors.

We will update and reissue this guidance with further information on future phases in due course.

Role of sponsors

The guidance below for councils sets out what is needed from councils to ensure the scheme can work effectively for both sponsors and the people they are trying to help. The guidance in this section aims to ensure appropriate and important checks to ensure safety and safeguarding as well as recognise that sponsors are not doing this in a professional capacity.

Sponsors are required to:

• Meet the eligibility and suitability requirements to be approved as a sponsor.
• Provide suitable accommodation for a minimum of 6 months. Accommodation needs to be free from serious health and safety hazards ensuring the property is safe for guests and in a suitable condition, with considerations set out in the scheme FAQs.
• Check their mortgage lenders website for further guidance.
• Notify their insurers that they will be hosting guests from Ukraine, prior to their arrival.
• Stay in regular contact with their guests prior to their arrival to help organise and coordinate their arrival in the UK, meet them on arrival, and provide their guests with instructions on how to reach their accommodation if they are unable to meet them. Note: councils will still be required to provide general welcome point arrangements and immediate support on arrival if guests require it (see section below).
• Support and help guests to adapt to life in the UK, initially checking if they have enough food and supplies such as toiletries, along with checking if they have access to a mobile phone and internet to stay in touch with family members.
• Sponsors should help direct their guests to public services for example, registering with a GP or NHS dentist.

Further information on the role of sponsors is available online.

Role of councils

Councils have a number of important functions in supporting the Homes for Ukraine scheme. Councils will be expected to offer the categories of support listed below. Further details on each of these will be issued shortly:

Initial receptionwelcome for Ukrainian arrivals at ports of entry

Relevant councils who have primary ports of entry have been asked to establish welcome point arrangements atto portsprovide ofan entryinitial welcome to supportthe anyUK short-termand arrivalany needs.immediate Wesupport haverequired. Ports prioritised ports of entry have been prioritised based on numberfrequency of arrivalsrail fromand neighbouringflight countriesroutes to Ukraine and Borderanticipated Forcenumber intelligenceof onarrivals priorityfrom arrivalneighbouring ports.countries Theseto councilsUkraine. Councils should work with Strategic Migration Partnerships and the voluntary sector, and (if a significant multi-agency response is required) they may call on the coordination support of Local Resilience Forums.

Tiered funding has been provided to councils with points of entry to establish welcome arrangements for Ukrainian arrivals. Major ports where we expect regular arrivals from early morning to late at night and large numbers of flights on which Ukrainians could arrive are outlined in the table below.

Major Ports of Entry	Council
Stansted Airport	Essex County Council
Luton Airport	Luton Borough Council
Heathrow Airport	LB Hillingdon
St Pancras International Rail	LB Camden
Manchester Airport	Manchester City Council
Birmingham Airport	Solihull Council
Gatwick Airport	West Sussex Council

Ports of entry in areas where lower numbers of arrivals are expected are putting in place arrangements to stand up welcome points based on when arrivals are expected with on call arrangements and partners on standby outside of these hours.

Airports

• Bristol
• Liverpool
• East Midlands
• Leeds
• Bradford
• Doncaster (Robin Hood)
• Southampton
• Bournemouth
• Humberside
• Newcastle
• Teesside International
• Southend
• London City
• Cornwall
• Cardiff
• Belfast International
• Belfast City
• Edinburgh
• Glasgow

Ports

• Birkenhead Ferry Port
• Portsmouth International Port
• Dover Port and Folkstone
• Plymouth Port
• Port of Newhaven
• Port of Tyne
• Port of Poole
• Harwich International Port
• Port of Hull
• Holyhead Port
• Fishguard Port
• Pembroke Dock
• Cairnryan
• Lerwick

Rail and coach

• London Victoria Rail and Coach station
• Wrexham General Station
• Cardiff Central Station

These welcome arrangements should include basic meet and greet arrangements as well as the ability to provide immediate humanitarian assistance. There will be some local variation in response to match local needs and requirements.requirements. 

LocalCouncils authoritiesat maymajor ports should consider the following capabilities whenas establishing a welcomecore pointsservice dependantoffer onwhen localestablishing need:a welcome point:

• Welcome/rest point, with toilet facilities, telephone, telephone charging facilities and translation capability.
• Provision of any necessary immediate humanitarian assistance.assistance including food, drink, (over the counter) medical supplies and other sundries. 
• Link with local travel operators for general provision of advice on onward travel.
• Triage point if matching arrangements fall down or if not met by a host and potential provision of overnight hotel accommodation; and
• Signposting the upcoming online welcome packguide covering access to servicespublic services and advice.

Councils should also consider the provision of social care staff to respond to any safeguarding concerns that may be flagged by Border Force.

Travel From Outside and Within the UK

DfTFrom 22 March, Wizz Air announced it is supporting Ukrainian refugees by offering them 100,000 free seats on all continental Europe flights departing from Ukraine’s border countries (Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania).

In addition, Wizz Air recognises that many refugees have already started moving and may be stranded in other locations. As such, the airline is also offering a 29.99 Euro rescue fare on all other flights (excluding the UAE, Iceland and the Canaries), as well as a 69.99 Euro rescue fare on all flights to the UAE, Iceland and the Canaries.

Stena Line travel are offering free transport onboard their ferries to Ukrainians seeking shelter in another country. They are also offering free transport to registered charity and humanitarian organisations. As long as safety and capacity allow, the passengers will be booked on the first available sailing and all passengers need to bring a valid passport. For more information visit Stena Line travel

Eurostar is offering free travel on its network. Passengers with a valid visa to enter the UK and a Ukrainian passport can receive the free ticket by speaking to any Eurostar team member at Paris Nord, Brussels-Midi, Lille Europe, or Amsterdam Central.

The Department for Transport have announced their free onward travel for Ukrainian arrivals. They are working closely with the Rail Delivery Group (the group that brings together all passenger and freight rail companies in the UK) to roll out the offer of a free single one-way journey from a port of entry to a final destination for incoming refugees. Train Operating Companies will brief frontline staff to grant free access to the network to those holding a Ukrainian passport, with accompanying boarding pass dated within the last 48 hours

From Sunday 20 March, guests arriving in the country are eligible for a single onward journey via national rail, bus, light rail, and coach. This will be free of charge to anywhere in England, Scotland and Wales.

To make use of this scheme, guests will need to show their Ukrainian passport and a boarding pass or ticket showing their arrival into the UK. The offer is valid across all train operators in England, Scotland and Wales, and guests will have 48 hours from arrival in the UK to complete their journey.

Guests will also be able to travel for free across London using TfL’s London Underground, Docklands Light Railway (DLR), bus and tram services so they can reach their destination as quickly as possible. Further information is available on the National Rail website.

Data sharing

In England unitary and county councils will receive the necessary data from the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, about sponsors/guests who have applied for visas (including the accommodation address). CountyThe data is stored in the Foundry case management system (CMS) and councils can passapply thisfor access by completing an application form. District and county council users can access the CMS and see matched data onfor their respective areas. District councils will need to theaccess relevantfoundry districtsystem councils.data in order to commence necessary checks on sponsors.

Data will also be passed to the Devolved Administrations (Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland). The Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities is exploring how to provide councils with live data on expected arrivals and will work with councils directly on this. Please note that for funding to be released, Councilscouncils will need to ensure data is accurate when updating the system.

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) and the Home Office are data controllers for the Homes for Ukraine visa sponsorship scheme. Further information can be found in this privacy notice.

Safeguarding checks

Accommodation checks

Councils have a statutory duty to promote the welfare of adults and children at risk and reserve the right to check in on guests and inspect accommodation once they have arrived. The sponsor guidance makes clear that prospective sponsors will be subject to accommodation and safeguarding checks.

Councils must make at least one in-person visit prior to the arrival of guests wherever possible. Following the guest(s)’ arrival, councils should confirm as soon as possible that the guest is well and that there are no serious safeguarding or welfare concerns or needs for care and support. Where it is suspected that the adult may have care and support needs, a needs assessment should be undertaken during this visit in line with the requirements of the Care Act 2014.

Councils may use their discretion in determining the appropriate approach to undertaking these checks. Where possible, councils are encouraged to conduct an initial check of the accommodation before a guest arrives.arrives, the cost of checks should not be passed to the sponsor or guest. We have asked Councils to confirm that they checked that the accommodation exists as part of their data return to the department. Sponsors have been asked to check that their accommodation is suitable, with considerations set out ins the scheme FAQs.

Please

• Where noteno that,rent asis being paid by the sponsor of the accommodation, and since no rent is payable forby accommodationthe guest under the scheme, we therefore do not expect councils to require such accommodation to obtain ana HMOHouse licensein Multiple Occupation (HMO) licence (per the HMO definition in the Housing Act 2004, S.254 (2)(e).(2)(e)).
• Where the sponsor is themselves paying rent for the accommodation being offered under the scheme, the property may be in scope of additional/mandatory HMO licensing schemes in operation in the area.
• A tenant offering a spare room is already advised to seek their landlord’s consent before doing so.  The landlord can consider whether they are happy to approve of the arrangement, including whether this may bring them within scope of HMO licensing in their local area.

Council powers, set out in the Housing Act 2004, to assess housing conditions using the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) and to enforce housing standards are not replaced or affected by this guidance.

Councils must ensure that guests know how to raise a concern about their welfare or wider safeguarding issues, and who to contact at their local council.

DBS Checks

The DBS application should be started as soon as possible following receipt of data on sponsors and guests. The council will facilitate the application, by the sponsor and any other eligible individuals within the household, for the appropriate DBS checks. In terms of eligibility, within the Homes for Ukraine (HFU) scheme, the expectation is that:

Checks on sponsors

• If a match is made which involves a guest who is a child (i.e., under 18), an Enhanced DBS check will be undertaken on all members of the sponsor household who are aged 16+. This includes a check of the children’s barred list. However, this does not apply if the child guest is related to the host sponsor, in this instance only a Basic DBS check is required. The Enhanced check (including a check of the children’s barred list) is needed due to the level of safeguarding risk within households where the sponsor and/or other individuals aged 16+ may provide care or supervision of a child guest under the scheme on more than 3 occasions in a 30-day period, or overnight, bringing the sponsors and other adults, for the purpose of the Homes for Ukraine scheme, into regulated activity (SVGA 2006, Sch4, Part1).
• If your council decides that an adult guest requires additional support, due to age, illness or disability and it is proposed that an adult (16+) member of the sponsoring household provides them with this support, then the local authority may ask for an Enhanced DBS check (including a check of the adults’ barred list) to be undertaken on any member of the sponsor’s household who is proposed to provide that support. Existing guidance regarding Regulated Activity with Adults can support the council’s assessment of the eligibility of individuals for this level of check.
• In all other cases, including where there is a family relationship between the sponsor and the guest(s), a Basic DBS check should be undertaken on all members of the sponsor household who are aged 16+.

Applying for DBS checks

In terms of initiating DBS checks, the council and/or Registered Body will provide the sponsor (and any adults, 16 or over, in the sponsor’s household) with the appropriate form, Basic or Enhanced, which will need to be completed by the individual. The council will need to check the identity of each applicant and, for the Enhanced check, countersign the application form.

Councils should be aware that:

• DBS is required to charge a fee for checks. Councils will be required to cover the cost of DBS checks from the £10,500 funding that is being provided to enable them to provide support to families to settle in.
• To facilitate processing, councils or Registered Bodies must include the word “Ukraine” in the ‘position applied for’ field in the form for Enhanced checks.
• To ensure that the relevant Enhanced DBS checks are delivered as efficiently as possible the council or Registered Body submitting the check must not tick the box on the application form (field x66) which indicates that the applicant will be working at their home address.

Interim payment for guest. The council where the sponsor accommodation is located should provide an interim payment (in line with other resettlement schemes) of £200 per guest for subsistence costs. The £200 payment is factored into the tariff (see ‘Funding for Councils’) and does not need to be repaid by the guest. Councils should agree a plan locally to determine how this payment is delivered (see ‘Funding for Councils’).

Councils will also have discretion within the tariff to top-up or further support guests with interim or additional payments. As those arriving will most likely not have immediate access to a bank account, it is recommended that this payment is made in cash, more information on access to bank accounts can be found in the scheme FAQs. Working age guests will be able to apply to receive Universal Credit and will be able to apply for advance payments where eligible. Pension age guests will have access to State Pension Credit and Housing Benefit provided they meet eligibility criteria.

ProvisionEducation ofand educationchildcare

CouncilsJust like families entering UK under the Afghan and Hong Kong BN(O) resettlement schemes, children arriving from Ukraine will have no specific additional priority for admission, but the council is under a duty to offer advice to parents on the school application process and should advise them where vacancies exist and how to apply.

If there are requiredschool places available in the local area, even if not in the immediate vicinity of the family’s home, the council should work with families arriving from Ukraine to provideenable the children to attend school as soon as possible. It is expected that councils provide places forand, where they can admit above their published admission numbers (PAN); admitting children of schoolUkrainian age.refugees as exceptions to the infant class size limit; as well as place such children using the in-year Fair Access Protocol where needed, as permitted by the School Admissions Code.

All young people in England are required to continue in education or training until their 18th birthday and most continue until the end of the academic year in which they turn 18. Councils willhave bea paidstatutory duty to support 16- and 17-year-olds to move into education and training. Guests living in the UK under Ukraine Family Scheme, or the Local Sponsorship Scheme for Ukraine are eligible to enrol as a student, although colleges (but not state-funded schools) may ask to see evidence of eligibility.

The government is providing additional funding to supportcouncils to provide education services for children from families arriving from Ukraine, regardless of the type of visa they hold. Funding for secondary school pupils (i.e., those aged 11 to 18) is for the provision of a suitable place for those in that phase of education. This could include a school, sixth form or a further education college.

Ukrainians aged 19+ and their family members settled in the UK under the Ukraine Family Scheme and the Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme (Homes for Ukraine) can access training to gain the skills they need to move on with this.their Furtherlives. detailsThis areincludes setprovision outfunded below.through the Adult Education Budget (including ESOL) and Level 3 - Free Courses for Job Offer.

Service referrals

Where necessary, councils should provide advice and referrals to specialist public health services as appropriate e.g., mental health services, adult social care, and children’s services. DLUHC will provide further advice on this in due course.

Work and Benefits

Councils should support guests to access local Jobcentre Plus appointments for benefit assessments and job-seeking.

Councils have discretion on the form of interim (and any additional) payments made to guests. In the guidance we’ve recommended these payments be made in cash where possible. In addition to the £200 interim payment, guests may have the option of receiving an advance payment from Universal Credit.

From the date the claim was submitted, the first regular Universal Credit payment is usually paid 5 weeks later. This is made up of a one month assessment period and up to 7 days for the payment to reach their account. Once identification has been verified and a National Insurance number added to a claim, if required the claimant can apply for an advance to support them until they receive their first payment. This can be requested over the phone or online. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will advise the claimant on the request via the guest’s Universal Credit account or preferred method of contact when they can apply for an advance.

Claimants can request an advance of up to 100% of their estimated Universal Credit entitlement. Claimants will be asked over what period of time they wish to spread their advance recovery, up to 24 months. A claimant who chooses 24 months will receive the same amount of entitlement during that time, just divided into 25 payments rather than 24.

Once agreed advance payments will generally take 3-4 days to be paid into the claimants account. If a claimant has an urgent need, they may be able to receive a same day payment (this option is not available on weekends and public holidays).

Homelessness assistance

There may be some cases where the sponsor/guest relationship breaks down and the guest is homeless or at risk of homelessness. Councils’ statutory homelessness duties will apply in this instance. DLUHC will provide further advice on this in due course. Homelessness legislation in respect of local connection is unchanged. However, to support councils in determining which authority should provide assistance in cases where the household is yet to establish a local connection, the recommended general approach should be for the council where the household’s sponsor is located to take the homelessness application.

If the household makes a homelessness application to a council other than the council where their sponsor is located, in line with the legislation the council must take the application and then consider if a local connection referral is appropriate.

Community integration

Councils will play a key role in supporting the integration of Ukrainian families into their local communities. This will be particularly important in areas of the country that might not have strong links with the Ukrainian diaspora. Integration support might include the organisation of community events, the use of community champions and interfaith networks, increasing local authority contact/interaction with Ukrainians, access to translation services and working with local voluntary sector organisations and faith groups to help signpost advice and support.

Administering payments to sponsors.

Sponsors will be eligible for an optional ‘thank you payment’ of £350 per month, if the sponsorship arrangement exists, for up to 12 months in total. There will be a maximum of one monthly payment per address paid in arrears, regardless of the number of guests being hosted, and regardless of size or location of the property. Councils will administer these ‘thank you’ payments to sponsors. Payments must not be released to sponsors until property checks have been completed. We will allocate funding for these payments, but we expect councils to cover administration costs from the tariff including costs of fraud prevention. This payment will be tax free and should not affect the sponsor’s entitlement to benefits or council tax status. We will continue to work closely with councils on the delivery of these payments.

Funding for councils

The government is providing funding at a rate of £10,500 per person to councils to enable them to provide support to families to rebuild their lives and fully integrate into communities. The £10,500 for Ukrainian nationals is for the first year. We will review funding for future years in due course.

This funding will be un-ringfenced, with a number of conditions attached, and will match the tariff offered under the first year of the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) and Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP), although the role of councils will be different. For example, councils will not be asked to source initial accommodation under this scheme as this will be provided by the sponsor.

Councils will administer ‘thank you’ payments at the £350 per sponsoring household per month rate. We will allocate additional funding for these payments, but we expect councils to cover administration costs within the tariff.

The government is also providing additional funding to councils to provide education services for children from families arriving from Ukraine under this scheme. The Department for Education (DfE) will allocate funding on a per pupil basis for the three phases of education at the following annual rates:

• Early years (ages 2 to 4) - £3,000
• Primary (ages 5 -11) - £6,580
• Secondary (ages 11-18) - £8,755

These tariffs include support for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

We expect councils to use the tariff to meet all of their associated costs (both for providing council services and for administering payments). We recognise, however, that a small number of councils may incur additional essential costs above and beyond what could reasonably be regarded as normal expenditure and not available through other mainstream funding mechanisms. We will therefore consider claims for such costs on an exceptional basis only.

• In England, In two tier areas, both districts and counties will have access to funds for their relevant duties under the scheme. Having engaged closely with representatives from the sector to determine the most appropriate payment mechanism, funding for both the £10,500 tariff and the £350 thank-you payments will be provided to upper tier local authorities.

• In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, the devolved governments will receive the £10,500 tariff. In Scotland and Wales, the £350 thank-you payments will be provided directly to local authorities, apart from in cases where the Scottish Government or Welsh Government act as a sponsor, where the £350 will be paid to the relevant devolved government. In Northern Ireland, the Northern Ireland Executive will manage all £350 thank you payments to sponsors.

Local authorities must agree a plan locally to:

• make prompt payments to lower tier authorities in relation to all the services which they provide to guests under the Homes for Ukraine Scheme, during the full duration of the scheme, including for services such as homelessness assistance for which lower tier authorities are responsible; and
• make an immediate payment to lower tier authorities in relation to any upfront costs.

This expectation will be reflected in the grant conditions placed on funding for the Homes for Ukraine scheme, which will be set out in due course.

Further details on funding, including the conditions, will be published shortly.

Data

The application form will ask for details on the location of the proposed accommodation for the guest so that details can be passed to councils and the Devolved Administrations. The data transfer steps are as follows:

1. The sponsor and guest’s data are submitted to the Home Office via the visa application process.process

2. ThisThese data (whichare willshared includewith the addressDepartment offor theLevelling sponsor)Up, isHousing thenand passedCommunities toand DLUHCthe andrelevant allocatedcouncil tovia the relevantFoundry council.CMS. ThisIt will theninclude bethe visiblesponsor’s tocontact details, address and the council.guest’s visa status

3. The visa application will then be processed by the Home Office.

4. Data are updated every day and council users must log into the CMS to see

Note: councilsThe Foundry CMS will beprompt promptedcouncil users to contact sponsors and guests, ensure accommodation is suitable and to conduct safeguarding checks.

Homes for Ukraine online portal: Safeguarding and accommodation checks.

The Homes for Ukraine scheme requires councils to conduct safeguarding and accommodation checks after receiving notification of a visa application.

Initiation and then completion of the checks should be recorded as soon as possible on Foundry, the online portal for Homes for Ukraine.

The five checks to be confirmed on the portal are:

• I have checked the accommodation exists and can be used as residential accommodation
• I have visited the accommodation and it appears suitable for the proposed guests
• I have initiated DBS checks
• I have confirmed that the guest(s) has/have arrived in the accommodation
• I have completed safeguarding checks, including visiting the guests in their accommodation and can confirm there are no serious concerns

Authority-level data is used for assurance on safeguarding and accommodation checks. The government is providing councils with funding of £10,500 per person under this scheme for the first year. This funding will enable councils to provide support to families to rebuild their lives and fully integrate into communities.

Payment of this grant will be conditional on councils undertaking necessary safeguarding checks and providing the department with relevant data. DLUHC will use completed data extracted from Foundry to support grant payments, and to provide assurance that relevant grant conditions have been met.

Foundry System and Data sharing

In England unitary and county councils will receive the necessary data from the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, about sponsors/guests who have applied for visas (including the accommodation address). County councils can pass this data on to the relevant district councils. Data will also be passed to the Devolved Administrations (Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland). The Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities is exploring how to provide councils with live data on expected arrivals and will work with councils directly on this. Please note that for funding to be released, Councils will need to ensure data is accurate when updating the system.

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has produced a diagram that details how to extract and share data from the online portal. The user guide for getting set up and using the online portal and the diagram can be accessed through the links below.

If you are experiencing any log in or other problems using the online portal, please use the following form to report these Troubleshooting.

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities is hosting weekly sessions for users new to the Foundry system. Please note each session will require individual registration through Eventbrite via this link Sign Up

• User guide
• Questionnaire
• Diagram

Further support on Foundry for councils

Councils can now see further support options available on the Foundry Platform.

Councils can log any issues via Foundry. Councils will need to select the area where they require support and be linked through to a Jira Registration page to log their issue. Users will only need to register once.

Alternatively, Councils can log in or register as a new user

Or call the Telephone Desk: 0303 444 4445

Opening Hours 9am - 6pm – Monday -Friday

Future guidance

This second set of guidance provides further detail of the councils’ role in the Homes for Ukraine Scheme. Future guidance will cover outstanding detail on the role of councils in other aspects of this phase:

• Administration of funds, including;

  • Administration of the thank you payments

  • theThe payment system andfor the tier of local government that receives the £10,500 per person funding

• Fallback accommodation

  • Re-matching role

  • Move-on accommodation

• Data

  • Process for receiving data about new arrivals

  • Management information submission requirements