Guidance

Homes for Ukraine: guidance for councils

​​This initial guidance on the Homes for Ukraine scheme outlines the role of councils across England in supporting the scheme. Additional advice will be published for councils in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland shortly.

Applies to England

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 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 Northern Ireland shortly. We are working with councils and Devolveddevolved Administrationsadministrations 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. 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.

Children Applicantsunder the age of 18 must be 18applying as part of a family unit which includes their parent or overlegal onguardian to be eligible for the datescheme. That family unit must stay together in the same sponsor accommodation.

Children who are currently outside of application,the unlessUK applyingcan with,use orthe scheme to joinreunite with their parent or legal guardian who is currently living in the UK, aif parentthey are the child’s sponsor.

Unaccompanied children who are under 18 are not allowed to be sponsored by, or reside with, unrelated sponsors, unless they are their legal guardian.

The scheme allows individuals 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. Those arriving need to meet standard security checks prior to being issued with a visa. Sponsors and all adults in sponsors’ households will also be subject to initial Police National Computer (PNC), criminal records and Warnings Index checks by the Home Office. Guests arriving from Ireland should only travel to the UK once they have a visa.

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 (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.

Individual members of the public can sponsor a guest from Ukraine who meets the eligibility criteria for this scheme. 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.

Individuals sponsoring named guests

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

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 a 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.

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.
  • Homeowners in the UK who want to temporarily house people from Ukraine who have been displaced from the conflict in Ukraine as non-paying guests with them in their primary residence do not need to inform their insurer and their cover will remain the same. Sponsors should be aware of any existing terms that might apply to non-paying guests within their insurance policy and contact their insurer if they wish to discuss their cover or other changes in circumstances. Please refer to the Association of British Insurers’ statement for more details. 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 welcome for Ukrainian arrivals at ports of entry

Relevant councils who have primary ports of entry have been asked to establish welcome point arrangements to provide an initial welcome to the UK and any immediate support required. Ports of entry have been prioritised based on frequency of rail and flight routes and anticipated number of arrivals from neighbouring countries to Ukraine. Councils should work with Strategic Migration Partnerships and the voluntary sector, and (if a 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. 

Councils at major ports should consider the following capabilities as a core service offer when establishing a welcome point:

  • Welcome/rest point, with toilet facilities, telephone, telephone charging facilities and translation capability.
  • Provision of any necessary immediate humanitarian 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 online welcome guide covering access to public 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 Fromfrom Outsideoutside and Withinwithin the UK

From 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). The data is stored in the Foundry case management system (CMS) and councils can apply for access by completing an application form. District and county council users can access the CMS and see matched data for their respective areas. District councils will need to access foundry system 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, councils 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. This duty may sit across different council functions in two-tier areas where statutory care duties sit with upper tier authorities and housing duties with lower tier authorities. In these areas, a coordinated approach is appropriate. 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.possible and we have asked councils to confirm that they have checked that the accommodation exists as part of their data return to the Department. The cost of checks should not be passed to the sponsor or guest.

We recognise that the sponsor scheme is a unique arrangement that is seeing people open-up their homes in response to an international crisis. Accommodation checks should be proportionate to this and we ask councils to take a common sense approach. Councils have full discretion on the approach they take to accommodation checks and the judgements they make during these visits. We advise councils to check that accommodation is suitable for the number and profile of people intending to live in it, with access to adequate facilities, and that there are no serious safety issues (e.g. gas or electrical hazards). The Local Government Association has produced emerging good practice examples and resources that councils may find useful in this context, and will be working to support councils as they take this work forward.

You may wish to note that sponsors have been asked to check that their accommodation is suitable, with considerations set out in the scheme FAQs which reflect some of the most common safety issues in homes. In this guidance we ask that accommodation:

  • be kept clean and in a reasonable state;
  • have adequate kitchen and bathroom space;
  • have access to drinking water;
  • have a working smoke detector on each floor of the property and other fire safety precautions suitable for the building e.g. fire doors or escape routes as appropriate (further information on making a home safe from fire);
  • have a working carbon monoxide detector in any room containing a solid fuel burning appliance (e.g. a coal fire, wood burning stove);
  • have sufficient heating to keep the property at a comfortable temperature;
  • have safe gas appliances and fittings and flues; you should consider whether a Gas Safety check is needed - see more information;
  • have safe and working electrics, which a qualified electrician can help with if you are unsure;
  • be reasonably free from damp or mould;
  • have doors and windows at entry level that lock properly;
  • be easy and safe to move around in, without excessively steep staircases that may cause harm.

Sponsors are also informed about the legal requirements on overcrowding. However, councils may consider any factors they deem relevant in order to assess whether accommodation is suitable, enabling flexibility at a local level to deal with individual cases on their merits. Councils continue to retain powers and duties set out in the Housing Act 2004. This guidance does not replace or affect that.

If, on checking the accommodation a council decides that it is unsafe and/or unsuitable, we recommend that they speak with the owner of the property about changes that could be made to remedy any issues before deeming the property unsuitable. Again, this should be based on a pragmatic approach. The government would encourage councils to support sponsors particularly those that do not usually house guests or let out their property to tenants - to bring their properties to an appropriate standard where possible, for example, by working with the Fire Service to supply additional smoke alarms. Councils retain the discretion to use their enforcement powers to require that issues are remedied if they judge that this is necessary and proportionate. For example, councils could undertake a risk assessment using the Housing Health and Safety Rating System and use their range of enforcement powers (e.g. Hazard Awareness Notices, Improvement Notices etc).

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, the cost of checks should not be passed to the sponsor or guest. We have asked Councilscouncils 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 insin the scheme FAQs.

  • Where no rent is being paid by the sponsor of the accommodation, and since no rent is payable by the guest under the scheme, we do not expect councils to require such accommodation to obtain a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) licencelicence, whether mandatory or additional (per the HMO definition in the Housing Act 2004, S.254 (2)(e)).

  • Where the sponsor is themselves paying rent for the accommodation being offered under the scheme,scheme (e.g. a tenant renting in the private rented sector), 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. 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,Where setaccommodation outis in thescope Housingof Actselective 2004,licensing, tocouncils assessshould housingtake 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 concernpragmatic aboutapproach theirin welfarerecognition orof widerthe safeguardingunique issues,nature andof whothe to contact at their local council.scheme.

DBS Checkschecks

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 will be aware that changes to DBS ID checking guidelines are still in place; COVID-19: Changes to DBS ID checking guidelines - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). As stated in DBS guidance, when checking the validity of the documents it is best practice to carry out this examination face-to-face. Other alternative methods include via a live video link, for example Skype and FaceTime. In both cases you must be in physical possession of the original documents. Any risks identified when using live video must be assessed and mitigated by you if implementing this practice. You must not rely on the inspection of the documents via a live video link, or by checking a faxed or scanned copy of the document.

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.
  • Councils should ensure prompt input of check results to the Foundry system to enable assurance of the safeguarding process and to enable allocation of the £10,500 funding for arrivals.

Interim payment for guest.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 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.

Bank Accounts

Councils and sponsors may need to signpost guests from Ukraine to open a UK bank account for the purposes of receiving Interim payments and Universal Credit or other state benefits. Further details can be found within the Welcome guide.

There are a range of providers, guests can choose which provider suits them best.

More information is available on each provider’s website. Money Helper provides a free comparison tool which lists all providers on its website.

To open a bank or building society account, guests will probably need to:

1. Make sure they have an email address set up in their name and a valid phone number, to help the bank or building society communicate

2. Collect all identification and visa documents.

To open a new bank or building society account, you’ll need to provide some basic personal information. Here’s what the bank or building society may want to know about you:

  • name
  • date of birth
  • nationality
  • contact details (email address set up in the guest’s name and a valid phone number)

To open a bank or building society account in the UK, guests also need to show proof of ID, and may be asked for things like:

  • passport
  • biometric residency permit
  • driver’s licence
  • recognised identity card

The quickest way to prove identification is likely to be with a passport and/or Biometric Residence Permit (issued by the UK government). Some UK banks and building societies may ask for proof of address, though this is not required by law to open a bank or building society account. If you don’t have all the identification documents, guests should take all the information they have with them to the bank or building society. Banks and building societies are encouraged to consider alternative ways to identify and verify their customers, and the government has been working closely with the sector to support access for incoming Ukrainian nationals who may not have standard identification documentation.

3. Apply for an account either in person at a bank or building society branch (guests may need to make an appointment), over the phone, online or via a bank or building society’s mobile app. If going into a branch, guests should take all relevant identification documents with them. Guests may need to download and fill in an application form from the bank or building society’s website. Guests might want to ask your sponsor to help them complete the form and go with them to the bank or building society.

Education and childcare

Just 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 school 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 enable the children to attend school as soon as possible. It is expected that councils provide places and, where they can admit above their published admission numbers (PAN); admitting children of Ukrainian 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 have a statutory 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 councils to provide education services for children from families if arriving from Ukraine, regardless of the type of visa they hold.have Fundingarrived forthrough secondary school pupils (i.e., those aged 11 to 18) is for the provisionHomes of a suitable place for thoseUkraine in that phase of education. This could include a school, sixth form or a further education college.scheme.

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 their lives. This includes provision funded 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 Benefitsbenefits

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

Guests can look for and start work without a National Insurance number if they can prove they can work in the UK. Guests can prove they have the right to work in the UK by showing their employer either their Biometric Residence Permit or their visa in their passport.

Employers are required to conduct mandatory Right to Work checks on all prospective employees. Having a National Insurance number is not part of these checks, and the possession of a National Insurance number does not prove that an individual has a right to work. The employer you want to work for will tell you what documents you need to show.

If guests do not have a NI number they can find further information on how to apply for one, guests will be advised of the documents they will need to provide when making an application.

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

Sponsors willare be eligible for an optional ‘thank you payment’ of £350 per month, iffor as long as the sponsorshipguest arrangementremains exists,in their accommodation for up to 12 monthsmonths. inThis total.payment There will be atax maximumfree and should not affect the sponsor’s entitlement to benefits or council tax status.

Councils will administer these ‘thank you’ payments to sponsors. Central government will allocate funding for these payments but expects councils to cover administration costs from the tariff including costs of onefraud monthlyprevention.

Payment Mechanism:

  • We recognise that councils require flexibility to issue payments using the systems best suited to their local arrangements. Therefore, councils should build in payments as part of their existing workflow processes with sponsors, however they best see fit. However, authorities must ensure that they adhere to the following conditions of payment: Only the named lead sponsor is eligible for the £350 payment per addressmonth
  • Lead paidsponsors can claim for up to 12 months
  • Lead sponsors are only eligible for monthly payments for as long as the guest remains living in arrears,their accommodation
  • Only one monthly payment will be given per residential address, regardless of the number of guests being hosted, andsize, regardlessor location of sizethe orproperty
  • Payments locationmust only be issued to those lead sponsors where it is confirmed that they have passed the necessary property and safeguarding checks. All five set checks within Foundry must have been completed before the council begins the process of issuing the property.sponsor Councilspayment
  • Fraud willchecks administermust be conducted in line with the councils anti-fraud processes
  • Lead sponsors are not eligible for the £350 monthly payment if they are charging the guest rent
  • Conducting an in person check at the six-month mark as a minimum to verify that the guest is still residing at the accommodation

Whilst there is flexibility for how councils can deliver these ‘thankpayments, you’an paymentsexample of how this might be conducted could include:

  • Confirming with the sponsor that they would like to sponsors.receive Paymentsthe mustoptional £350 monthly payments
  • Making sure the sponsor signs a self-declaration form confirming all details are correct, that they are not becharging releasedrent, and that they agree to sponsorsnotify untilthe council of any changes
  • Conducting all safeguarding and property checks havebefore beenadministering completed.the Wepayment.
  • Conducting willthe allocatenecessary fundingfraud forchecks, thesesuch payments,as butchecking wethe expectsponsor’s councilsidentity, cross- referencing this information against relevant council databases to coverconfirm administrationthe costscorrect name and address has been provided, requesting a bank statement from the tariffsponsor, includingand costsseeking evidence of fraudthe prevention.guest’s Thisvisa
  • Paying paymentthe willsponsor bemonthly taxin freearrears directly into their bank account
  • Conducting an in person check at the six-month mark to verify that the guest is still residing at the accommodation

The onus is on the sponsor to notify the council of any changes during the 12-month period following the signing of the self-declaration form. Councils should make sure that this is clearly understood by the sponsor and that they understand who they should notreport affectany change of circumstances to. Councils should ensure at least one in person check is conducted at the sponsor’ssix-month entitlementmark toat benefitsa minimum but may conduct more checks if they wish. Where other property or councilsafeguarding taxchecks status.are Weoccurring, willthese continuecan tobe workcombined closelywith verifying that they guest still remains at the property. Councils will be provided with a sponsor declaration form template to support councils onto ensure they proactively confirm that sponsors understand this requirement.

Where guests move out before the deliveryfull 12-month period, the sponsor is eligible to claim the monthly payment if the guest has lived in their accommodation for at least half of thesethe payments.month of departure.

FundingIdentifying forwhere councilsrent is being charged

TheCouncils governmentshould ask the sponsor and guest whether rent is providingbeing fundingcharged and whether the guest is being asked to provide contributions to food or utilities. Councils should use their discretion to assess whether these contributions are excessive and, if they constitute rent in practice, councils can decline to make the thank you payment. Councils are responsible for the prevention of fraud of the £350 payment at a ratelocal level and this should be conducted in line with usual fraud prevention activities. Costs of £10,500counter-fraud peractivity personrelated to the operation of the scheme are covered within the £10,500 tariff.

It is recommended that councils conduct a 10% sample of monitoring checks for these payments. Over time councils may wish to enableraise themor lower this depending on the level of risk they identify. These checks can be combined with any other ongoing checks.

Should members of the public suspect fraud is taking place, they should direct their concerns to providethe supportrelevant council to familiesinvestigate further.

Where fraud is identified, councils should use their best endeavours to rebuildclaw the money back applying their livesusual counter-fraud and fullydebt integratecollection intopractices. communities.Where councils are able to claw the money back, we expect this to be included in the reconciliation process at the end of the financial year.

Differing locations

The £10,500authority where the guest resides is responsible for Ukrainianpaying nationalsthe monthly £350 payment to the sponsor. If the sponsor is within another council area, the two councils should work together to ensure the necessary fraud checks are conducted. The council responsible for issuing the firstpayment year.will need to adhere to all of the above conditions but will likely need to rely on the sponsors council to cross reference the information against their records. We will reviewprovide fundingfurther forguidance futureon yearswhat should happen with the £350 payment if there is a change in sponsor in due course.

Funding for councils for Homes for Ukraine

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.

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.

CouncilsThe willgovernment is also providing funding for councils to administer the optional ‘thank you’ payments at the £350 per sponsoring household per month rate. We will allocate additional funding for these payments,payments butthrough a ringfenced grant, and we expect councils to cover administration costs within the tariff. There will also be conditions attached to this grant. Further details on the grant conditions are outlined below.

The Department will make payments to councils on a quarterly basis, in arrears. We expect to make the first payment at the end of June. Payments will be based on the actual number of Homes for Ukraine guests (for the £10,500 tariff) and the actual number of sponsoring households (for the £350 ‘thank you’ payments) within each area.

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 councils.

However, in two tier areas it will be a condition of the funding that councils 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 councils in relation to any upfront costs.
    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 councils, 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.

While we will continue to collect data relating to the programme via the Foundry system, where we expect councils to upload relevant data on a weekly basis at a minimum, we also expect councils to maintain accurate records on the number of guests and sponsorship households in their area. It is critical that this data is accurately captured and reported to the Department on a quarterly basis, in order for the Department to make payments of funding in arrears. As part of future guidance we will set out further detail on the data reporting requirements.

We plan to conduct a reconciliation process at the end of the financial year to ensure that councils receive their correct entitlement for both the £10,500 tariff and £350 ‘thank you’ payments. Future guidance will cover outstanding detail on this process, including the process by which we will account for movements of guests across councils.

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.

  • InWe England,ask Inthat twoany tiercouncil areas,who bothmay districtsbe andexperiencing countiesunmanageable willpressures haveto accesscontact tothe fundsDepartment in the first instance.

    Homes for theirUkraine relevantfunding duties- undergrant conditions

    Funding for the scheme.Homes Havingfor engagedUkraine closelygrant withpayments representativesfor fromEnglish thecouncils sectorwill tohave determineconditions theattached, mostwhich appropriatewill paymentbe mechanism,set fundingout forformally bothin thegrant £10,500determinations tariffin andadvance of the £350first thank-youquarterly payment.

    Grant payments to councils will be providedmade toin upperarrears, tierand localwill authorities.

  • Inbe Scotland,subject Walesto confirmation that guests have arrived and Northernall Ireland,conditions thehave devolvedbeen governmentsmet. willCouncils receivemust undertake all necessary safeguarding checks in line with the £10,500Department’s tariff.guidance. InRelevant Scotlandinputs, including whether safeguarding checks have been completed, should be entered on Foundry regularly, and Wales,at a minimum, weekly. In addition, it is a condition of funding that councils provide regular data returns in relation to the £350Homes thank-youfor Ukraine scheme, as set out in guidance, including on the number of beneficiaries in their area.

    Importantly, payments will not be providedmade directlywhere tothe localDepartment authorities,is apartnot fromsatisfied inthat casescouncils whereare fully complying with relevant grant conditions, including the Scottishtimely Governmentreturn orof Welshdata Governmentin actline aswith aguidance. sponsor,It whereis critical, therefore, that Councils record all necessary information via the £350Foundry system. In addition, whilst we will becontinue paidto collect data relating to the relevantprogramme devolvedvia government.the InFoundry Northernsystem, Ireland,we also expect councils to maintain accurate records on the Northernnumber Irelandof Executiveguests and sponsorship households in their area.

    Please find below the conditions that the Department plans to attach to these grants, which will managebe allformalised £350in thankthe yougrant paymentsdetermination letter ahead of the first quarterly payment to sponsors.councils.

    For the £10,500 tariff:

    • A recipient authority must:

      • Use the funding to carry out safeguarding checks on sponsors and the property in line with the Department’s guidance.

    • LocalIn two tier areas, upper tier 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.
    • ThisProvide expectationregular willdata bereturns reflectedin relation to the Homes for Ukraine Scheme, as set out in guidance. For example:

      • Entering relevant data on Foundry regularly, and at a minimum, weekly; and
      • that Section 151 officers must sign off quarterly returns to the grantDepartment which include: MI data to indicate how many people are moving in/out of the area; the number of £350 ‘thank you’ payments made to sponsoring households; and confirmation that conditions placedhave onbeen fundingmet.

For the £350 payment:

  • Payments to lead sponsors are only to be made for as long as the Homesguest forremains Ukraineliving scheme,in whichtheir willaccommodation and should be paid out in accordance with circumstances set out in dueguidance. course.Payments must not be released until:

    • a visit to the sponsoring household property, by the council, has been completed; and

    • the council has confirmed that the accommodation is suitable, that the guest has arrived, and that there are no serious safeguarding or welfare concerns.

FurtherFor detailsboth the £10,500 and £350 grants, the following condition applies:

  • Where the amount of grant paid to an authority exceeds the authority’s actual pressures based on funding,the includingnumber of guests and sponsorship households in their area, the conditions,difference shall be repaid to the minister. There will be publisheda shortly.

    reconciliation process at the end of the relevant financial year.

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

2. These data are shared with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and the relevant council via the Foundry CMS. It will include the sponsor’s contact details, address and the 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: The Foundry CMS will prompt council users to contact sponsors and guests, ensure accommodation is suitable and to conduct safeguarding checks.

Homes for Ukraine online portal: Safeguarding and accommodation checks.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

InThe EnglandDepartment unitaryfor Levelling Up, Housing and countyCommunities councilshas willproduced receivea thediagram necessarythat details how to extract and share data from the Departmentonline ofportal. LevellingThe Up,user Housingguide andfor Communities,getting aboutset sponsors/guestsup whoand haveusing appliedthe foronline visasportal (includingand the accommodationdiagram address).can Countybe councilsaccessed canthrough passthe thislinks databelow.

If onyou toare theexperiencing relevantany districtlog councils.in Dataor willother alsoproblems beusing passedthe toonline theportal, Devolvedplease Administrationsuse (Scotland,the Walesfollowing andform Northernto Ireland).report these Troubleshooting.

The Department offor Levelling Up, Housing and Communities is exploringhosting howweekly tosessions providefor councilsusers withnew liveto datathe onFoundry expectedsystem. arrivals and will work with councils directly on this. Please note thateach forsession funding to be released, Councils will needrequire toindividual ensureregistration datathrough isEventbrite accuratevia whenthis updatinglink theSign system.Up

TheDLUHC Departmenthas forproduced Levellingthese Up,resources Housingabout andusing Communitiesthe hasFoundry producedCMS:

  • User a diagramguide that- detailsshows users how to extractget and share data from the online portal. The user guide for getting set up and usinguse the onlinesystem
  • Diagram portal- anddetails thehow diagramto canextract beand accessedshare through the links below.

    data

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

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities isoffers hostingFoundry weeklyuser support sessions forevery usersThursday. newYou need to theregister Foundryfor system. Please note each session willthrough requireEventbrite.

Expression individualof registrationinterest through(EOI) Eventbritedata viais thisnow linkavailable Signto Upcouncils so that:

  • Useryou guidecan see information about people in your area who are interested in becoming sponsors
  • Questionnaireyou can compare the personal information of potential sponsors with other safeguarding data sources, to identify people who may be unsuitable to become sponsors
  • Diagramyou can identify potential sponsors for rematching

More information and guidance on rematching will be provided in the coming weeks.

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

    • The payment system for 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

Published 18 March 2022
Last updated 1329 April 2022 + show all updates
  1. Updated with significant updates to accommodation checks, virtual ID process for Disclosure and Barring Service, funding mechanisms and grant conditions, access to EOI data and data returns from councils.

  2. Updated to include primarily details of welcome centres, Foundry system access: troubleshooting, guides and availability of data, education and childcare, homelessness, funding for councils and travel arrangements.

  3. This guidance has some minor changes throughout, but more major amends have been made to guidance on safeguarding and accommodation checks.

  4. First published.