Homes for Ukraine - Supporting and living with your guest

The government has provided a guide supporting Ukrainians arriving in the UK.

Mobiles and SIM cards

RefugEase is a national charity to apply for a Vodafone SIM card for Ukrainian refugees.

Public transport

The initial journey from port of entry to sponsors is free.

On a day-to-day basis, this might not be the case and is dependent on the operator. It is best to assume that your guest may need to pay for public transport.

Meals and accommodation

You only need to provide accommodation. However, there is nothing stopping sponsors offering meals should they wish. You will not be expected to cover the costs of food and living expenses (although you may wish to offer this philanthropically). Every guest will be entitled to a £200 interim payment to help with subsistence costs which will be provided by us.

Other support

You should help your guests adjust to life in the UK as much as you can. You should make sure they are comfortable in their accommodation, and that they have access to basics such as food, bedding and toiletries.

Your guest will be able to access support from us (e.g. helping children access school places), as well as from Jobcentre Plus. It would be helpful if you could assist them in registering with a GP.

There may also be local voluntary groups who can offer support.

Settling in

Your guest is unlikely to be 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.

It would be helpful to direct your guests to public services. For example, this could involve helping your guests to contact and register with a local GP and NHS dentist. Additional guidance on how to access public services is available.

As a sponsor, the first thing to do will be to make sure guests are comfortable in their accommodation and setup with the basics. They should have enough food and essential supplies like toiletries and it’s worth checking that they’ve got access to a mobile phone and the internet so they can stay in touch with family and friends.

Pets

Many people fleeing the conflict in Ukraine will not have been able to complete the full health preparations required for their pets, especially in relation to rabies.

The government has put in place a new streamlined process for people bringing their pets from Ukraine. The Animal and Plant Health Agency will provide quick approvals and relevant quarantine arrangement. The government will cover the costs.

Before arriving, they or their carrier should contact the Animal and Plant Health Agency who will confirm their approval and will then organise any necessary stay in quarantine which is required to complete the rabies treatment process.

The maximum stay in quarantine for a pet which has received no rabies treatment is four months. Pets will be considered case-by-case, and those which have already received some treatment would spend less time in quarantine.

If your guests are in this situation, they should email the Animal and Plant Health Agency at [email protected] or call +44 3000 200 301 and select option 2.

Agreement and expectations

It’s recommended that you set a few clear expectations between you and your guests. As a sponsor you may want to draw up an agreement with your guests that sets a few ground rules, such as sharing use of communal areas of the house, or concerning things like smoking, alcohol or noise.

Although there is no requirement to use an agreement, there are two model agreements available that you could use. If your guests are sharing accommodation with you (using guest bedrooms and sharing kitchen facilities), an Excluded Licence Agreement would be suitable.

If they are using self-contained accommodation (e.g. holiday lets), then the Excluded Tenancy Agreement is best.

When the sponsor wants to bring this arrangement to an end, they can ask their guests to leave by giving reasonable notice. As the sponsor will not be charging rent, an assured shorthold tenancy is not created but if the arrangement changes from sponsorship to one where rent is charged, the position will be different.

Circumstances changing or sponsorship breaking down

If for any reason you need to end the sponsorship arrangement early, you must contact North Northamptonshire Council as soon as possible.

Last updated 16 October 2023