24th November 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 of if there's anything you’re unclear on, let us know by emailing your feedback and content suggestions to: homesforukraine@lincolnshire.gov.uk

‘Happy Holiday Hosting’ – supporting Ukrainian children and families at Christmas

8-9pm, Thursday 24 November 2022

The Sanctuary Foundation is running a free online event between 8-9pm this evening (Thursday 24 November 2022), themed around the Christmas and festive season. This includes some reflections on the cultural differences between Ukraine and the UK, and the potential challenges this period might pose to hosts and guests.

Find out more and book your place on Eventbrite.

Moving into rental accommodation – registering with utility companies

We know that many guests are now starting to move into their own rental accommodation and will need help registering with utility companies. We hope the information and links below are useful and recommend contacting the Citizens Advice consumer helpline for further help and support.

Types of utilities

Gas and Electricity

The Citizens Advice website has useful pages on:

Water

In Lincolnshire, most homes are with Anglian Water but you can check your supplier on the Water UK website.

The Anglian Water website also has a dedicated ‘moving home’ page.

For hosts and guests, if anyone living in your property receives certain benefits or tax credits, you could be eligible for the AquaCare Plus or WaterSure tariffs. Visit the Anglian Water website or call 03457 919 155 to apply.

Council Tax

The government website includes information on how to set up a new Council Tax account on a property you have recently moved into.

Broadband

The Uswitch website has a helpful page on broadband and moving house.

Paying bills

The Money Helper website has a useful page on the best way to pay bills.

Cost of Living Payment and household bills

Guests that claim certain benefits or tax credits, may be eligible for an extra payment to help with the cost of living. If you’re eligible, payments will be made automatically.

As part of the Homes for Ukraine scheme, hosts receive a £350 a month 'thank you' payment. This money is intended to be exactly that, a thank you payment to the host for giving up a space in their home and supporting their guests to settle into life in Lincolnshire. This money is not intended to cover the increases in food, electricity, gas or water bills that come as a result of having additional people in the house.

As a reminder, hosts can ask guests to pay a contribution (according to use) for water, gas and electricity consumed or supplied to the accommodation or to any shared facilities. The Homes for Ukraine government guidance explains that hosts can ask for a contribution to household bills, stating: “You may ask guests to pay a reasonable and proportionate contribution (according to use) for water, gas and electricity consumed or supplied to the accommodation or to any shared facilities.”

You could consider sitting down together to discuss household contributions and reflect how you can jointly work out a suitable amount based on your arrangement (particularly for guests that are in employment or receiving Universal Credit).

Homes for Ukraine toolkit – Ukrainian language version now available

A team of researchers from the Institute for Research into Superdiversity at the University of Birmingham have created a comprehensive 'Homes for Ukraine' toolkit.

We recently shared the English version in this newsletter, and a Ukrainian translation is now also available.

The toolkit includes many useful resources, including a list of things that guests need to know about life in the UK, a list of things that hosts need to know about Ukrainian people and a section on how to handle difficult conversations.

Childcare funding for children aged 0-2

If you’re looking for childcare for your 0-2 year old, you may be eligible for help with the costs. Find out more by visiting the ‘Connect to Support’ webpages. The Family Services Directory also includes a useful list of local childcare options for your family.

Parents returning to Ukraine and leaving children in the UK

There have been a small number of instances where parents have temporarily returned to Ukraine, leaving their children behind to be cared for by people who don’t have parental responsibility for them (for example, aunties or godmothers or even hosts themselves).

In situations where parents must return to Ukraine, and leaving children behind is unavoidable, please could you inform Lincolnshire County Council’s Homes for Ukraine team on homesforukraine@lincolnshire.gov.uk. We need to know about these situations in advance, so that we can ensure appropriate safeguarding arrangements are in place for the children concerned.

Christmas Holiday Activities and Food programme for school age children

Bookings are now open for the Christmas/Winter Holiday Activities and Food programme, taking place from 19 December 2022 to 3 January 2023 (excluding bank holidays and weekends).

The Holiday Activities and Food programme is a government funded programme that provides all children aged 5 to 16 years in receipt of benefits related free school meals in Lincolnshire, including all children on the 'Homes for Ukraine' scheme, access to free healthy meals and activities over the summer, Christmas and Easter holidays.

More information about the programme, along with details of how to book is available on the ‘Connect to Support’ website.

Guest employment survey

We have lots of Ukrainian guests in Lincolnshire who want to work, and we want to do all that we can to help them find employment.

We will shortly be emailing an employment survey to all Ukrainian guests of working age. This will help us 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 support and solutions to help people find work.

Please help us by completing the survey, as the more information we receive, the more useful it will be to us in supporting people into employment.

Events

Employability & Support Morning, Spalding

10.00am-12.30pm, Wednesday 7 December 2022

Meet local employers with job vacancies and connect with organisations who are providing support in the Spalding, Boston, Sleaford, Bourne and Holbeach areas. The Department for Work and Pensions will also be offering advice on benefit entitlement.

Christmas Party for Ukrainian Families and Sponsors, Boston

1-4pm, Saturday 17 December 2022

This fun, festive event for guests and hosts is taking place at Centenary Methodist Church in Boston from 1-4pm on Saturday 17 December 2022. Tickets are free but must be booked in advance.

If you live in the surrounding area and are interested in attending but need transport to and from the party, please email tracy@driverlinegb.co.uk

Address details: Centenary Methodist Church, Red Lion Street, Boston PE21 6NY

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

'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.

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