Thank you for offering your home to host the Ukrainian families fleeing war horrors.

It is as much incredibly kind as it is a serious decision. The governmental Department has prepared the Guidance for Sponsors at the Homes for Ukraine scheme, which covers the outline topics and is regularly updated:

• Eligibility;

• Other information: checks; thank you payments; interim payments for guests;

• Accommodation;

• Adapting to life in the UK;

• Further support.

Additional questions and answers on how the Homes for Ukraine scheme will work.

It would be best if you started the whole thing by registering your interest in the Homes for Ukraine Scheme.

There is no official "matching" service, so you have to find the Ukrainians you want to help. And this is when the volunteers like UK Welcomes Ukraine step in to help, it is free to all parties. The process takes about a month and looks something like this:

1. Register your interest with our service

2. Have a call with a UK Welcomes Ukraine volunteer to clarify the situation and general questions

3. UK Welcomes Ukraine finds you a Ukrainian guest family

4. An online application is submitted (a single set of "Ukrainian + British")

5. The Ukrainian family is issued the right to enter

6. You welcome them at your home

The following link will take you to the basic questionnaire: our form for hosts

The volunteer will contact you using the phone number and messenger type specified in the questionnaire. We are receiving many applications, and waiting for a call can take more than a week - thanks for your patience.

The average call will take 20-30 minutes.

During the call, you will be able to discuss the terms of the program with the volunteer, and he will also collect details about you and your family, after which the process of finding a guest will begin.

If, for any reason, you no longer intend to participate in the program or have already found a guest on your own, please let our volunteer know when they contact you.

While waiting for the conversation, you might want to prepare the following information:

Accommodation

Describe the accommodation available:

• What kind of accommodation is it? Entire house, apartment, room(s)?

• Number of rooms

• Where in the house they are located (stairs?)

• Access to amenities - shared living space, kitchen, bathroom, garden

• Is there a reliable broadband/WiFi connection? (Ukrainian families are likely to want to work remotely where they can)

• Is it on the main road? Traffic, noise, etc.?

• How much daylight/natural light?

• How insulated is it? Warm?

• Is it available immediately or later on (when)?

Area

Describe the area you live in:

• Town & borough/neighbourhood

• Bus/train/underground links

• Proximity to shops

• Proximity to schools/universities

• Proximity to playgrounds

• Proximity to parks/green spaces

Sponsors

Describe your family (more in-depth if the sponsors and a Ukrainian family will be sharing the accommodation, i.e. not a second home let):

• Number of people in the family, age, children, etc

• Do you have any pets?

• Smoking/Not

• Background on work, experience, etc

• Do you work from home? How often are you at home?

• Do you have any religious, ethical, etc. beliefs that you want Ukrainian families to follow?

• Do you follow any dietary requirements (vegetarian, vegan, etc.)?

House rules

Do you have any house rules - official or not? For example:

• Early risers / early bedtime

• Family time that needs to be protected

(keeping tidy and being decent is a given)

Ukrainian families

Describe who you can host:

• Who are you looking to take in: the number of people, age, gender, relationships, etc.

• Are you able to take in a pet?

• How important is it for you that the guests would have been vaccinated against Covid?

• Would you consider sharing a car with your guests or providing the lift, if the public transport in your area is not reliable?

Our volunteers are trying their best to ensure a good mutual match based on all the information we have from both sides. However, the final word is always after the families – yours and the Ukrainians'.

If everyone is happy to go ahead, you will have to apply for the VISAs (in partnership with the Ukrainian). You can do it yourself (together with the Ukrainian guest) or trust the process to our Case Worker volunteers.

If you choose to do it independently:

• You need to make one visa application for every person, including children. So, you need to make four visa applications for a family of four.

• Apply for the VISAs here > https://apply.visas-immigration.service.gov.uk/has-international-ukrainian-passport

• The forms are arduous, repetitive, and poorly designed. However, stick with it: if it saves even one family, it will be worth it. Your first form will take about 1.5 hours to complete, but you will get quicker on any additional ones.

• You will be directed to a third-party site, where you must upload a PDF version of the relevant documents. Ensure your Ukrainian refugee(s) have given you copies of their passports etc. It is likely that the copies would be a photo in JPG format, so you will need to convert them to PDF.

• Upload the documents and complete the application. You will see the word "submitted" in the top right of the screen.

• If you return to the original visa website, it may say that you still have additional steps to take. This is download a document or a checklist. Download both and keep safe. Open the visa application and make sure it has a submitted date and an application number. Remember to scan and add the completed Document Checklist as one of the documents (under the VAF category.)

You are done for now! Eventually, you or your Ukrainian will receive an email from the Sheffield UKVI office saying they have received the application.

Alternatively, you can trust the volunteer to do it on behalf of yourself and the Ukrainian guest. In that case, you will be required to let a volunteer view your documents. Our volunteer will tell you what documents are needed, help you upload them, and ensure you don't forget anything.

A list of documents and information you'll need to provide for every person 18+ in the household:

• A clear copy of your passport – a photo from your mobile phone should be enough as long as all the information is readable

• Your email address

• Any proof of your address – it's the usual – utility bills etc

• How long you've been living at this address

• If the passport is not the UK, permission to be in the UK for more than 6 months (for example, BRP or ILR)

• Have you ever been known by any other name (for example, your maiden name or a name change)

• Name of the country you live in within the UK and your local authority

• Your relationship status

• Have you ever held any other citizenship? (If yes, please provide date from and until which you held the citizenship and copy of the passport if available)

• The lodge of the application appears to trigger the local authority to come into play. They will ring you directly, and they will be doing a home inspection.

• They will send a link for all adults in the household to complete a DBS check. Even if you hold it already, you need to do it again! Some councils might also ask for an enhanced DBS check if you are hosting a minor.

• We, as volunteers, cannot influence the visa decision, but you, as a sponsor, will be able to make a request to your MP (representative in the Parliament - visa issues are their area of ​​​​responsibility), and this often speeds up the procedure.

As a sponsor, the first thing to do is ensure guests are comfortable in their accommodation and set up with the basics. Your guest will likely need to become more familiar with the layout of your local area or how to get around easily. Some practical advice on things like getting to and from your home, where the local shops are, and where to catch buses and trains will go a long way. As a sponsor, you’re not expected to provide transport for your guests throughout their stay.

After they rest, the process of settling in the UK has to start for your guests. You are not obliged to assist them with the following steps but, should you have the ability, the time and the will to do so, please, help them settle in. Alternatively, you may contact your council and ask if there are any local volunteers or Ukrainian communities that assist Ukrainian families in the UK.

General to-do-list for the Ukrainians:

• Get the power adaptors (EU -> UK)

• Get the mobile SIM-card

• The interim £200 payment from the council

• BRP (biometric residence permit) application

• GP registration

• Bank account

• Universal Credit

• NINO (national insurance number)

• Child benefits

• School admission

• Pension payment for retired people

• Red Cross interim payment

• Psychological help, if required

• Get an Oyster card (for London) or travelcard

• Find local volunteers or Ukrainian communities