Support for Ukraine

This local sponsorship scheme for Ukraine will offer a route to those who want to come to the UK who have someone here willing to provide them with a home.

The scheme matches people, charities, businesses and community groups in the UK to Ukrainians who do not have established families in the country, so they are able to come the UK.

Find out more and register your interest to help on the government's website:

Homes for Ukraine

You can also read the FAQs page on the government's website:

Homes for Ukraine FAQs

You can also read information on the role of councils in supporting the scheme. – Please note that Surrey County Council will have responsibility for some areas, including education and social care:

Role of councils in supporting the scheme 

The Government has funded a scheme that offers a matching, training and support service to sponsors and refugees:

Government funded pairing scheme

Advice and support for British nationals with family members in Ukraine, and Ukrainian nationals in Ukraine and the UK, along with information on temporary visa concessions:

UK visa support for Ukrainian nationals

The Government is urging all those across the UK who use a physical immigration document to take immediate action to transition to an eVisa, as part of plans to digitise the UK border and immigration system. All visa holders who live in the UK and use a physical immigration document, such as a Biometric Residence Permit (BRP), to prove their rights are urged to take action now: Get Access to your eVisa

More information on what you need to do and by when, including people who currently hold a physical immigration document, and a full list of grant funded organisations offering support, is available at GOV.UK/eVisa

Further information

Helpful guidance videos explaining what an eVisa is and how to access and use one

Barnardo’s has set up the Ukrainian Support Helpline to provide a holistic support service. The helpline is available to anyone fleeing the conflict in Ukraine.

Barnardo’s free helpline (0800 148 8586) is staffed by English, Ukrainian and Russian speakers, to offer support to children and families arriving in the UK from Ukraine.

The helpline is open Monday – Friday (10:00am – 8:00pm) and Saturday (10:00am – 3:00pm). Callers will be able to get help and advice on a range of topics.

A dedicated email address ukrainiansupport@barnardos.org.uk and webpage have also been set up for those assisting with the Ukraine response.

Barnardo’s Ukrainian Support Helpline

Guidance is available to those considering sponsoring Ukrainian citizens via the scheme:

Sponsor guidance

A  factsheet for Ukrainians is now here in English, Ukrainian and Russian:

Fact sheet

The Government has also published a Welcome Pack. It is currently only available in English but a Ukrainian translation is being prepared.

Welcome Pack

An article has been written to explain how Ukrainian families can apply for a school place or childcare:

Applying for a school place or childcare 

An online form for Ukraine family sponsors to complete with their bank details if they want the thank you payment.

Ukraine Sponsor Thank You Payment Application

If you are a guest living in the borough under the Homes for Ukraine scheme and you move out of a host family's house and into your own home, you will be eligible for 50% Council Tax discount.

The discount applies from the liability start date and can be transferred to a new account if you move house.

To apply for the discount, email names of all tenants, property address, contact details, start date for rental, Council Tax Number and proof of your Homes for Ukraine scheme eligibility to counciltax@waverley.gov.uk

Example email:

"Dear Sir/Madam

I arrived in the UK, obtaining a visa to stay via the HOMES FOR UKRAINE scheme and after moving out from my host, I have lived in private rented accommodation since [Insert Date]

I wish to claim the 50% discount on my council tax, backdated to the start date of my rental payments.

Property Address: [-------]

Names of all tenants: [------]

Start date for rental: [-------]

Council Tax Number: [-----------]

Please let me know if you need more information to process my claim.

Kind regards”

Якщо ви гість, який проживає в районі за програмою «Житло для України» і переїжджаєте з будинку приймаючої сім'ї у власне житло, ви матимете право на знижку 50% муніципального податку.

Знижка застосовується з дати початку зобов'язань і може бути переведена на новий рахунок, якщо ви переїжджаєте.

Щоб подати заявку на знижку, надішліть листа, вказавши  імена всіх орендарів, адресу нерухомості, контактні дані, дату початку оренди, номер муніципального податку та підтвердження права на участь у програмі Homes for Ukraine на  емейл counciltax@waverley.gov.uk

Приклад листа надається:

“Dear Sir/Madam

I arrived in the UK, obtaining a visa to stay via the HOMES FOR UKRAINE scheme and after moving out from my host, I have lived in private rented accommodation since [Insert Date]

I wish to claim the 50% discount on my council tax, backdated to the start date of my rental payments.

Property Address: [-------]

Names of all tenants: [------]

Start date for rental: [-------]

Council Tax Number: [-----------]

Please let me know if you need more information to process my claim.

Kind regards"

Charities operating in the region to provide aid are in need of money to help their work.

Donations can be made to the Disasters Emergency Committee, a coalition of 15 leading UK charities, which has launched its collective appeal to provide emergency aid and rapid relief to civilians suffering during the conflict.

Charities involved in the Disasters Emergency Committee include the British Red Cross, Oxfam, Unicef, Save the Children and World Vision among others.

Disasters Emergency Committee

Please visit the government's website for further information on what you can do to help Ukraine.

The Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office currently advises against all travel to Ukraine, Russia or Belarus. Their website has separate, updated travel advice and information for:

• Ukraine
• Russia
• Belarus

Private rent and deposits

Waverley are able to help guests financially once they have found private rental accommodation.

This is only eligible for guests under the Homes for Ukraine Scheme who are leaving host accommodation and moving into their first private rental, or for guests who didn’t receive help before.

The amount of financial support we provide is dependent on the financial situation of each family/guest.

Part of the decision-making is based on family income/expenditure/savings and the final decision sits with the resettlement team leader.

How to apply for support

Complete the Household income and expenditure form

Exceptional Payment Fund 

This grant is for those under the Homes for Ukraine scheme only.

This grant is for exceptional circumstances only to buy essentials and should not be offered to all guests moving into PRS accommodation. 

The grant offers a one-off payment per family unit/household:  

1. Up to £1,000 grant for essential goods as outlined below

2. Where there is no flooring in the guests’ new property, up to an additional £1000.

In accepting this grant funding, you agree that you will use it solely to purchase the following essential items for the above property: 

• Carpets and other flooring materials (where not present in property) 
• Cooking equipment including pots, pans, oven dishes and baking trays. 
• Household furniture including cot, beds, mattresses, wardrobes, drawers, table and chairs, ironing board. 
• Installation costs for white goods, for example, hob, oven, washing machine etc. 
• Kitchen utensils including chopping board, sharp knives, cutlery, crockery, cups, drinking glasses and a kitchen bin. 
• Miscellaneous including duvets, pillows, bed linen, towels, curtains and blinds. 
• Small electrical appliances including toaster, kettle, iron, microwave and vacuum cleaner.  
• White goods including fridge, freezer, hob, oven and washing machine. 

All requests need to go through the resettlement manager who will make the final decision on whether to issue the fund – this will mostly be based on savings and income.

Please email ukraine@waverley.gov.uk if you wish to apply for the exceptional payment fund.

If you have a specific question regarding local support for Ukrainians please email: ukraine@waverley.gov.uk

We are currently dealing with a large number of enquiries and will respond to your email as soon as we can. Please do not email the inbox more than once, as this may cause us to duplicate our response and will slow down our processing of enquiries.