19th January 2023
Host & Guest e-newsletter
Welcome to the latest issue of our host and guest e-newsletter. If you can, why not sit down together to read it?
If there are any specific topics you want us to cover or if there's anything you’re unclear on, let us know by emailing your feedback and content suggestions to: homesforukraine@lincolnshire.gov.uk
We're aware that not all our hosts and guests receive this e-newsletter. Despite our best efforts we don't always have accurate email addresses for everyone, so if you know any hosts or guests who don't receive their own copy but would like to, please contact us at homesforukraine@lincolnshire.gov.uk
Updated and new Homes for Ukraine national guidance
Earlier this week the government released a series of new guides for sponsors/hosts and guests on the Homes for Ukraine scheme.
We have collated key links for the new information below – please take the time to carefully read any information that’s relevant to you/your guests.
There is also some useful information about hosting someone already in the UK (rematching) for any hosts that are considering hosting again after their guests have moved on.
New guides for sponsors/hosts
When your guest arrives
- Meet your guests and help them settle in
Information about how to make your guests feel more comfortable in their new home, set expectations about how to live together and communicate with your guests. - Sponsors of children travelling to, or staying in the UK without their parent or legal guardian
What to do if you are asked to look after your guest's child or children unexpectedly. This could include if your guest needs to leave the country, or travel separately. - If you're worried about a guest or their children
What to do if you are concerned for your guests or their children's safety. Includes what to do if you think they are being exploited.
Ending sponsorship or rematching
- When you have sponsored for 6 months
Information about next steps when you have sponsored a guest for 6 months. - Finding a new host (rematching)
If your guests are not ready to leave sponsorship and move into their own alternative accommodation, but you can no longer accommodate them, they may want to find a new host. - Ending your hosting arrangements, and helping your guest with their next steps
Information about what to do if you need to end your hosting arrangements for any reason.
New guides for guests
Arriving and living in the UK
- Arriving in the UK
What to do when you arrive in the UK if you have a visa, don't have a visa or have a biometric residence permit. - Welcome Points and travelling to your sponsor
Where the welcome points are, what facilities are available and how to make travel arrangements to meet your host. - Living with your sponsor
How to live with your sponsor, what to expect from them and what to do if things don't work out. - Parents of children under 18 travelling to, or staying in, the UK without their parent or legal guardian
What you need to do if you need to leave your children in the care of your sponsor, or if you can't travel with your children to the UK. - Driving and public transport
The legal requirements for getting your driving licence, and how public transport works in the UK. - Get urgent help and report a crime
Who to call in an emergency, like police, fire or ambulance services. - Get urgent medical help
How to get medical help for emergencies, issues that can't wait until you can see your GP and dental emergencies. - Continuing to live with your host or rematching
What your options are if you want to continue to live with your host, or if you need to move on to a new host. - Renting private accommodation
How to rent privately, including your rights and responsibilities.
Access benefits and essential services
- Get a bank account and your arrival payment
How to find the right bank for you, and when you will receive your arrival payment. - Apply for Universal Credit and other benefits
Benefits that are available to you and how to apply for them. - Get a National Insurance number
How to get a national insurance number if you are working or are claiming benefits. - Register with a doctor and get medication
How to register with an NHS doctor and patient questionnaires in Ukrainian and Russian.
Work and tax
- Find a job
Where to find work, who can help you and how to access skills based training for employment. - Working in Healthcare in the UK
The regulations about working in any healthcare role, and how to register with the appropriate accredited bodies. - Your rights at work
What you can expect from your employer and what your responsibilities are as an employee. What to do if you think you are being treated unfairly at work. - Paying tax
The types of tax you will pay as an employee and how this could affect any benefits you claim. - Paying taxes in the UK if you work for an employer based in Ukraine
Find out about paying Income Tax and National Insurance contributions if you arrive in the UK but are still working for an employer in Ukraine.
Education
- Childcare and education up to 16 years old
How and when to apply for childcare places and schools. - Education for people from 16 years old to adults
Sixth form, further education (like college), higher education (like university), apprenticeships and skills based training available. - Learn to speak, read and write English
Resources and training to learn English.
Health
- Adult Health
Services and care available through the NHS for adults. - Care for elderly, vulnerable or disabled adults
How to access social care, plus support if you, or someone you care for is blind. - Child Health
Services and care available through the NHS for children.
Are your guests due to be absent from host accommodation for a continuous period exceeding four weeks?
This week the government has also confirmed that in situations where all guests plan to be absent from their host/sponsor’s accommodation for more than four weeks, or four weeks have passed and no guests have returned, the host/sponsor is required to notify their council of the absence so ‘thank you’ payments to the host/sponsor can be paused. If this applies to you, please let us know by emailing homesforukraine@lincolnshire.gov.uk.
For example, if your guest has now gone to university but will return to your accommodation at a later date please get in touch.
Citizens Advice - Advice and Services
Citizens Advice is a charity providing free, independent and confidential advice, advocating for changes to unfair policies and practices and helping people find a way forward with the problems that they face.
They offer advice through several different channels, including telephone, email and face-to-face, and are supported by dedicated volunteers and staff who have a passion and commitment for making a difference to the communities of Lincolnshire.
Citizens Advice can provide support with a wide range of topics including benefits, debt and money, employment, consumer, housing, family, immigration and more. We are currently looking at how Citizens Advice can provide in-person support at Ukrainian Community groups in Lincolnshire and we’ll include further details in this e-newsletter once they’re confirmed.
To find your local Citizens Advice visit their website and input your postcode.
Free school transport
School transport is separate from school admissions. If your child is offered a place in a school, it doesn’t mean you'll be automatically eligible for free transport - some children are eligible for free transport to take them to school, some aren't.
The best way to find out if you're eligible for free transport is to apply on the Lincolnshire County Council website.
Ethnic Minority and Traveller Education Team (EMTET)
Lincolnshire County Council's Ethnic Minority and Traveller Education Team advises schools and families regarding the education of children who have English as an additional language.
One of the aspects they often discuss is the importance of the home language. Research demonstrates that maintaining the child’s first language supports the acquisition of other languages (including English) and therefore the biggest gift parents can offer to their children is to speak to them in their strongest language. There are many benefits to being bilingual, including cognitive advantages, but one aspect that deserves highlighting is the positive impact on the children’s sense of identity and self-esteem. Language performs an important role at preserving one’s cultural identity, it creates a sense of belonging and promotes building meaningful relationships with family members which are proven to have a positive effect on the children’s emotional well-being.
EMTET would also like to draw your attention to a leaflet created by Essex County Council, which outlines the importance of the home language and answers some common questions relating to this subject:
UNICEF and the Ukrainian Ministry of Education and Science have also created the NUMO project, an online platform with resources designed for children aged 3-6, aiming to help parents engage their children in educational activities in their home language. Find out more on the UNICEF website and view the first episode of the NUMO online kindergarten on MEGOGO.
For more information, please contact EMTET@lincolnshire.gov.uk
Guest employment survey - thank you
We've had a fantastic response to our guest employment survey - thank you to everyone who has taken the time to fill it out. More than 150 guests have told us about their experiences in finding or searching for a job and this insight will enable us to provide more targeted advice, guidance and signposting to help people find work.
Although we’re still analysing the data, the main barriers faced by our Ukrainian guests in finding a job include being able to speak English, transport availability/location of jobs, and qualification conversion to be able to find employment in an appropriate field of work. We will work closely with the Department for Work and Pensions and the Job Centre to provide more targeted support to help guests overcome these barriers.
The survey will remain open until 4pm on Friday 27 January 2023 for anyone who hasn't had the chance to complete it yet.
Funding available for Ukrainian guests in Lincolnshire
Since the re-launch of the ‘Big Lincolnshire Welcome Fund’ in December, more than 100 new applications have been received by the Lincolnshire Community Foundation.
Any Ukrainian guests in Lincolnshire, who have not previously applied and received funding, can apply to the fund and choose for themselves what essential item(s) up to the value of £150 for an individual or £300 for a family unit, they need to make their lives better.
For full guidance and details of how to apply, please visit the Lincolnshire Community Foundation website.
Holocaust Memorial Day Event
4-5pm, Thursday 26 January 2023
North Kesteven District Council, Sleaford
The theme of this year’s Holocaust Memorial Day is ordinary people. You are invited to join in a short event in the Courtyard of the Council offices for a commemorative event that invites ordinary people to pause, reflect, remember and commit themselves to standing up against prejudice, intolerance and hatred.
Taking shoes as a symbol of the journeys millions of ordinary people have been on – including long hard journeys of displacement from their country as evacuees of war, or journeys of self-identity simply to be themselves – attendees are asked to bring shoes to place in a commemorative gesture.
These could be:
- old, worn-out shoes that have reached the end of the road but tell of a journey;
- worn shoes with potential to begin another journey, to be donated to the British Red Cross to continue bringing hope for someone in need or for sale to extend humanitarian aid; or
- outgrown but still functional school shoes that could be donated to a family in hardship to help a child on their journey of education and discovery.
Tags will be available to write a message, a dedication or to detail the shoes’ story and candles will be lit as the shoes are placed and prayers said at the courtyard fountain.
The next day, on Holocaust Memorial Day itself – which commemorates the liberation of Auschwitz on January 27, 1945 – there will be a space available at the Hub in Sleaford to continue contributing to the shoes, with shoes for donation to schools or the British Red Cross particularly welcomed.
Address details: North Kesteven District Council Courtyard, Eastgate, Sleaford NG34 7EF
Your events
Please send any events for this newsletter to: homesforukraine@lincolnshire.gov.uk
New or existing events, activities and any other support services open to Ukrainian guests can also be added to the 'Connect to Support' directory by completing the sign-up form (add ‘Ukraine Support’ to the title of your listings).
‘Wellbeing Lincs’
'Wellbeing Lincs' offers emotional and practical support, help with accessing health, education, benefits and council services, including housing to all hosts and guests in Lincolnshire.
If you need to have a potentially difficult conversation with your host / guest, the 'Wellbeing Lincs' team may be able help you navigate this. They are trained in providing mediation and can support you in talking things through openly and honestly to reach a solution.
For help, email ukraine.wellbeing@e-lindsey.gov.uk with your name, address, contact information and a brief description of what you need.
The team will aim to be in touch within two working days. They can also be contacted by phone on 01507 613044 from 9am to 5pm Monday to Thursday or 10am to 4.30pm on Fridays.
Important Links