Sponsor and house Ukrainian refugees
If you want to offer a home to people fleeing Ukraine, you can register your interest in taking part in the Homes for Ukraine scheme.
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Overview of being a sponsor and registering your interest
About the scheme
The UK Government has launched its Homes for Ukraine scheme, allowing households to sponsor and house refugees who are fleeing the war.
Who can sponsor
A sponsor can be of any nationality, with any immigration status, providing you have at least 6 months’ leave to remain in the UK, so that you can provide at least 6 months’ accommodation. You can live in any part of the UK.
Register your interest to become a sponsor
If you want to offer a home to Ukrainian refugees, you can become a sponsor as part of the Homes for Ukraine scheme.
Register your interest to become a sponsor
Sponsor someone you already know
If you already know a Ukrainian refugee or their immediate family member, who you want to sponsor, you can help them to apply for a visa
Help with visa applications
If you have any questions or need assistance with a visa application you must contact the Home Office
Get help with a visa application
Guest Departure
When your hosting agreement has ended and your guest has departed from your accommodation please fill out the guest departure form to inform the council.
Guest departure form
Role and responsibilities of a sponsor
To become a sponsor you should be able to:
- provide suitable accommodation for a minimum of 6 months
- stay in regular contact with your guest prior to their arrival to help organise and coordinate their arrival in the UK, meet them on arrival, and facilitate transfer to their accommodation
- signpost the guest to local public services and assist them with tasks such as registering with a local GP surgery
How to find a Ukrainian guest to sponsor
The charity Reset has launched a matching and training service to pair sponsors and refugees under the UK Government’s Homes for Ukraine scheme.
It has experts in safeguarding to assess sponsors and refugees, making sure that the right matches are made.
Sponsors and refugees will need to register on the website and will be contacted by the Reset team to begin the matching process.
£350 optional monthly payment
Government is offering an optional £350 payment to sponsors hosting 1 or more guests. You will be able to get this once your checks have been completed.
These payments only cover the period the guest is in your house and you should not charge your guest rent for the time they are with you.
Payments are made monthly in arrears, for up to 12 months.
It doesn't count as your income. So it won't impact any benefits you may receive such as Housing Benefit or Universal Credit, or any Council Tax discounts. The UK government is ensuring payments will be tax-free.
Support for sponsors
We are grateful to all the sponsors who are participating in the Homes for Ukraine scheme and we recognise that taking someone into your home is a big ask.
Various charities have developed information on community sponsorship and toolkits to support you through the Homes for Ukraine programme. We will also be building our community support.
Homes for Ukraine Sponsor Toolkit by Reset Training and Support.
Contact us
If you have any questions about this scheme and need to contact the council, you can email us at homesforukraine@barnet.gov.uk or call us on 020 8359 6017