The Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, Michael Gove, has today (14 March 2022) launched a webpage for sponsors to record their interest, ahead of Phase One of the scheme opening for applications this Friday, 18 March.
The Homes for Ukraine scheme will allow individuals, charities, community groups and businesses in the UK to bring Ukrainians to safety – including those with no family ties to the UK.
Phase One of the scheme will allow sponsors in the UK to nominate a named Ukrainian or a named Ukrainian family to stay with them in their home or in a separate property.
Record your interest on the Homes for Ukraine webpage.
How it works
This bespoke scheme will offer a route to those who want to come to the UK who have someone here willing to provide them with a home. It will enable individuals, charities, community groups and businesses to volunteer accommodation and provide a route to safety for Ukrainians, and their immediate family members, forced to escape their homeland.
Sponsors should provide accommodation for as long as they are able, but we have a minimum expectation of 6 months.
Someone is eligible for the scheme if they are a Ukrainian national or the immediate family member of a Ukrainian national, and were resident in Ukraine prior to 1 January 2022.
We will welcome as many arrivals as possible, based on the number of sponsors.
People arriving under this scheme will be able to:
- Live and work in the UK for up to three years
- Access healthcare, benefits, employment support, education, and English language tuition
What sort of accommodation am I expected to provide?
If you have a residential spare room or separate self-contained accommodation that is unoccupied then please come forward. The accommodation must be available for at least 6 months, fit for people to live in, and suitable for the number of people to be accommodated.
Further details on types of accommodation suitable can be found in our FAQs.
Do I need to provide meals or just accommodation?
Just accommodation. There is nothing stopping sponsors offering meals should they wish to.
You will not be expected to cover the costs of food and living expenses (although you may wish to offer this yourself).
I've recorded my interest, what happens now?
You will be kept updated. In the first phase of the scheme, sponsors will be able to bring named Ukrainians and their immediate family members to the UK. This will launch later this week, and if you have a named family or individual you wish to support you will be able to fill in a form requesting to sponsor them.
Please see further FAQs for those interested in becoming a sponsor.
