Standing with Ukraine

The Homes for Ukraine Scheme was launched on 14 March 2022.

This scheme is open to Ukrainian nationals who lived in Ukraine before 1 January 2022, and to their immediate family members (for example spouse/partner and children under 18) who may be other nationalities. The scheme allows them to be sponsored to come to the UK. Applicants can apply from Ukraine or from any other third country.

It has helped thousands of Ukrainians find safety in the UK. It continues to support those arriving through sponsorship arrangements. Local authorities also work with sponsors and guests to provide integration and safeguarding support.

People granted permission under the Ukraine schemes can live, work and study in the UK. They can access healthcare, education and other public services. The Government has also introduced the Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme. It allows eligible Ukrainians already in the UK to apply to extend their stay when their existing permission is due to expire.

The Homes for Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme remains open for eligible Ukrainian nationals who have an approved UK sponsor. Individuals and organisations interested in sponsoring Ukrainians can find information about the scheme, eligibility requirements and the application process Homes for Ukraine: record your interest - GOV.UK.

If you already know a Ukrainian national, or the immediate family member of a Ukrainian national, who you wish to sponsor, they can apply under the Homes for Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme using you as their approved sponsor. Sponsors must meet the scheme requirements and provide suitable accommodation.

If you do not already know someone to sponsor, you may choose to work with recognised charities and community organisations that help match prospective sponsors with Ukrainians seeking accommodation in the UK. These organisations can support both sponsors and guests through the matching process and visa application requirements.

Once a match has been identified, the Ukrainian applicant must apply under the Homes for Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme. As part of the application process, sponsors will be required to provide information about themselves and their accommodation. Each person travelling to the UK must have an individual application.

For further information about the scheme and sponsorship requirements, visit Homes for Ukraine: record your interest - GOV.UK.

You can also find information about community sponsorship and matching services through organisations such as Reset Communities and Refugees.

Once the Home Office has approved all visa applications linked to your accommodation offer, including the completion of any required security checks, your details will be shared with the relevant local authority. At that stage, you can expect to be contacted by your district council to begin the property inspection and DBS checking process.

We appreciate that you may have been waiting for some time. However, visa applications can take a while to process. The Home Office must complete all necessary checks before granting approval.

Once local authorities are notified that visa applications for guests under the Homes for Ukraine Scheme have been approved, we will work as quickly as possible to contact sponsors. We will then progress the next steps.

Yes. This will be completed by someone from your district council who will be in touch with you once we have received your information from the Home Office. 

You district council will be in touch about the housing check which will involve an in-person visit to the accommodation.

The council where the sponsor’s accommodation is located may provide newly arrived guests with support and advice on accessing local services and, where applicable, emergency financial assistance. Any support available will be determined by the local authority in line with current government funding arrangements.

Eligible sponsors are able to receive a tax-free thank you payment of £350 per month per household. This is regardless of how long their guest has been in the UK. These payments are available for eligible sponsorship arrangements, including certain guests who move onto the Ukraine Permission Extension (UPE) Scheme. Sponsors hosting a close family member are not eligible for these payments.

Thank you payments are only available for guests, under the Homes for Ukraine (HfU) scheme and those under Ukraine Permission Extension (UPE) Phase 1 scheme. This payment is not available for those guests under UPE Phase 2.

They are administered by the relevant local authority and do not affect a sponsor’s entitlement to benefits or council tax status.

The Ukraine Permission Extension (UPE) Scheme is a UK Government immigration route. It allows Ukrainian nationals and their eligible family members who already hold permission under one of the existing Ukraine visa schemes to extend their stay in the UK when their current permission is due to expire. Successful applicants are granted up to 18 months' further permission to remain, with the same rights to work, study, rent accommodation and access public funds.

Who can apply?

The scheme is available to people who have previously been granted permission under:

• Homes for Ukraine (Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme)
• Ukraine Family Scheme
• Ukraine Extension Scheme

For further details visit Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme (GOV.UK).

UPE opened for applications on the 4 February 2025. Those who have already applied and whose 18-month visa is coming to an end can apply again under the same scheme. They can apply for a further 24-month extension.