22nd December 2022
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
We'd also like to take this opportunity to wish all of our hosts and guests peace, strength and hope this Christmas.
Thank you for your support both this year and as we head into 2023.
As a reminder, the Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain has put together a helpful cultural Christmas guide for hosts, featuring Ukrainian Christmas and New Year greetings, dates, food, and other festive traditions.
National changes to sponsor/host ‘thank you’ payments
On 14 December 2022, the government announced some national changes to funding for the ‘Homes for Ukraine’ scheme.
- ‘Thank you’ payments will be extended from 12 months to 24 months so that guests who may not yet be ready to move into independent accommodation can stay in sponsorship for longer.
- Hosts will receive an increased ‘thank you’ payment of £500 a month for guests who have been in the country for over a year.
Whilst we await further detail from the government, a copy of their press release can be seen on the gov.uk website. We have been told that the government will be writing to all 'Homes for Ukraine' guests and hosts this week so look out for this correspondence.
Additional, temporary financial help for Lincolnshire hosts
The national ‘thank you’ payment increase will be paid once a guest has been in the UK for 12 months. Most 'Homes for Ukraine' guests being hosted in Lincolnshire arrived between April and June 2022.
In recognition of the important contribution being made by Lincolnshire hosts who continue to accommodate their Ukrainian guests, Lincolnshire County Council will be offering an additional £150 for hosts between January and March 2023. This will bring the payments for those months up to £500 per month.
This additional payment will made to all hosts in Lincolnshire accommodating guests on the 'Homes for Ukraine' scheme during January, February and March 2023, regardless of how long their guests have been in the UK.
Payments will be made by district councils, monthly in arrears. You do not need to contact councils about your payment. The increase will be automatically applied if you are hosting from January to March 2023.
To be clear, when a host receives the national increase will depend on when their guests arrived in the UK.
Example scenario:
Host A’s guest arrived in June 2022. Host A has received £350 per month from June 2022 – December 2022. Host A will receive £350 in January, February and March 2023 and an additional £150 for those months. Host A will receive £350 in April, May and June 2023. In July 2023, as the guest enters their second year in the UK, the national increase will apply. So Host A will receive £500 per month until June 2024.
Please bear with us as we apply the changes to payments in the next couple of weeks. In the meantime, if you have any queries, please contact homesforukraine@lincolnshire.gov.uk
Guests making a reasonable and proportionate contribution to household bills
We ask hosts and guests to remember that all situations are different and financial arrangements between hosts and guests will vary. Hosts cannot charge their guests rent, but they can continue to ask for a “reasonable and proportionate contribution (according to use) for water, gas and electricity consumed or supplied to the accommodation or to any shared facilities. With self-contained accommodation, hosts should agree with their guest who will pay council tax” (see the 'Homes for Ukraine' sponsor guidance).
Opening hours over Christmas and New Year
Wellbeing Lincs
The Wellbeing Lincs email address and phone lines will not be monitored between the following times:
- 12pm on Friday 23 December 2022 until 8am on Wednesday 28 December 2022
- 4pm on Friday 30 December 2022 until 8am on Tuesday 3 January 2023
Lincolnshire County Council ‘Homes for Ukraine’ Team
The 'Homes for Ukraine' Lincolnshire email address and phone lines will not be monitored between the following times:
- 4pm on Friday 23 December 2022 until 8am on Wednesday 28 December 2022
- 4pm on Friday 30 December 2022 until 8am on Tuesday 3 January 2023
Any emails sent during this time will be responded to when the offices reopen. If your email is urgent, please see the information below:
Arrangement breakdowns
If you are a 'Homes for Ukraine' host and require urgent support relating to an arrangement breakdown or in the unlikely event that you are a guest that has been asked to leave your host accommodation immediately, have nowhere else to go and need assistance, you can contact your local District Council Homeless Team. See contact details below:
Boston
homelessteamBBC@boston.gov.uk
01205 314555 (Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm) / 01205 362151 (evenings & weekends)
City of Lincoln
housingsolutions@lincoln.gov.uk
01522 881188 (Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm) / 01522 534747 (evenings & weekends)
East Lindsey
housing.hub@e-lindsey.gov.uk
01507 601111 (Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm) / 01507 601111 (evenings & weekends)
North Kesteven
housingoptions@n-kesteven.gov.uk
01529 414155 (Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm) / 01529 308308 (evenings & weekends)
South Holland
housingoptions@sholland.gov.uk
01775 761161 (Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm) / 01522 782235 (evenings & weekends)
South Kesteven
housingadvice@southkesteven.gov.uk
01476 406080 (Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm) / 01476 590044 (evenings & weekends)
West Lindsey
home.choices@west-lindsey.gov.uk
01427 676676 (Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm) / 01427 613960 (evenings & weekends)
Safeguarding concerns
If you have an immediate safeguarding concern and are in need of urgent assistance you can contact:
- Adult Social Care
Urgent social care intervention that cannot wait until the next working day: 01522 782155. - Children’s Services
Immediate and significant risk of harm: 01522 782111, or if outside normal working hours: 01522 782333.
Reporting a crime
If you believe a crime has been committed or there is an immediate risk of danger, call the police on 999 or 101.
Visa/Biometric residence permit queries
The UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) contact centre will close at 3pm on Saturday 24 December 2022 and reopen on Tuesday 27 December 2022. It will then close again at 3pm on Saturday 31 December 2022 and reopen on Tuesday 3 January 2023. Outside of these dates the contact centre will operate as usual. With the exception of 24 to 27 December 2022 and 31 December 2022 to 2 January 2023 (when casework offices will be closed) visas will be processed as normal. Normal opening hours can be found on the government website.
Bin collections - date changes
There are some changes to bin collections and opening times for Lincolnshire's Household Waste and Recycling Centres over the festive period. The Lincolnite has put together a guide outlining the changes along with links to all of the district council pages.
Employment survey - have your say
Last week we emailed an employment survey to all Ukrainian guests of working age in Lincolnshire. We want to understand how many people have been able to find jobs, and gain insight into the barriers faced by those who haven’t. This will enable us to provide more targeted advice, guidance and signposting to help people find work.
Thank you to everyone who has completed the survey so far. There's still plenty of time to have your say before the survey closes at 4pm on Friday 27 January 2023.
Achieving qualified teacher status in the UK
From 1 February 2023, teachers with a teaching qualification from nine countries, including Ukraine, will be able to apply to the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) for qualified teacher status (QTS). Read more on the government website.
Five ways to good mental wellbeing
Take a look at the attached poster, available in English, Ukrainian and Russian, to learn more about five ways to good mental wellbeing. Alongside various tips, the poster also links to a range of support services available to Lincolnshire residents.
'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.
Christmas Day lunches and provision - venues offering a place to go
Across the county some people will be feeling alone, isolated or in need a break out space this Christmas Day. Many of our wonderful charities, community spaces and churches in Lincolnshire are offering some company and food to share.
Visit the LVET website to find a venue near you.
Employability & Support Morning, Louth
10.00am-12.30pm, Tuesday 17 January 2023
Meet local employers with job vacancies and connect with organisations who are providing support in the East Lindsey area. The Department for Work and Pensions will also be offering advice on benefit entitlement.
Read more on the event poster, available in English, Ukrainian and Russian.
Address details: Trinity Centre, Eastgate, Louth LN11 8DJ
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).
Important Links