14th December 2023

A Big Lincolnshire Welcome Logo

Homes For Ukraine Lincolnshire e-newsletter

Welcome to the latest issue of our e-newsletter for Homes For Ukraine guests and hosts. This newsletter is sent out by the Lincolnshire County Council Homes For Ukraine team. You can email the team on homesforukraine@lincolnshire.gov.uk

Visit the 'Connect to Support' website to read this newsletter in Ukrainian or Russian (using Google Translate).

Відвідайте веб-сайт "Зверніться до служби підтримки", щоб прочитати цей інформаційний бюлетень українською або російською мовами (за допомогою Google Translate).

Посетите сайт "Связь с поддержкой", чтобы прочитать этот бюллетень на украинском или русском языках (с помощью Google Translate).

Homes for Ukraine Guidance

The UK Government publish guidance on the Homes For Ukraine scheme - this guidance is split across three areas: guidance for guests, guidance for sponsors and guidance for councils.

It is worth reading through all three sections of the guidance as they don't all mirror each other - if you're a sponsor you might still find something useful in the guest or council guidance. The published guidance steers how we operate the Homes For Ukraine scheme in Lincolnshire.

The guidance can be found following these links:

Guidance for guests (also available in Ukrainian and Russian)

Guidance for sponsors

Guidance for councils

Christmas Opening Times - 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 22 December 2023 until 9am on Wednesday 27 December 2023
4pm on Friday 29 December 2023 until 9am on Tuesday 2 January 2024

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 22 December 2023 until 8am on Wednesday 27 December 2023
4pm on Friday 29 December 2023 until 8am on Tuesday 2 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.

Hosting

Thank you payments extended

Following the Autumn Statement, the UK Government have announced that thankyou payments will be extended at £500 for a third year following a guest's arrival. This means that we can pay thankyou payments for all three years of a guest's permissions to be in the UK if a guest is with a host for that time.

If you have any questions about thankyou payments please contact homesforukraine@lincolnshire.gov.uk

Homes for Ukraine guests becoming hosts

There are many HFU guests who have gone on to become HFU hosts - however it is not always the case that HFU guests can claim the thankyou payments for hosting other guests.
Guidance on guests becoming hosts and receiving thankyou payments has not yet been published, however the government have confirmed the rule is - "where two or more Homes for Ukraine visa holders are related or in a relationship, and have the same visa sponsor, it would not be permissible for one of these guests to receive a thank you payment for hosting the other guest(s). Otherwise thank you payments can be made."

More information and examples on the above can be found on our Connect to Support Lincolnshire website.

If you are a guest who is thinking of becoming a host, it is worth contacting us in advance to check if you would be eligible for receiving the thankyou payments - please email us on homesforukraine@lincolnshire.gov.uk and we will confirm if your proposed arrangements will be eligible to receive the thankyou payments.

Change of circumstances

We would just like to remind guests and hosts that it is important to let various different organisations know if you have a change of circumstances.

A good example is that if a guest returns to Ukraine temporarily it is important to let the Job Centre know so that they can manage the Universal Credit claim correctly in the guest's absence.

It is also important for hosts to let the Homes For Ukraine team know if a guest has left your accommodation for 28 days or more, as this could affect the 'thank you' payment.

Health

Dentists

We appreciate that there is a difficulty for many people across the country who are trying to find dentists. Our best advice continues to be to use the NHS Find a dentist website.

If you need dental treatment in an emergency or out of hours it is advised to call a dentist as their voicemail may advise where to get out-of-hours treatment. Alternatively call 111 to find an out-of-hours dental service near you.

Mental health support

Lincolnshire Partnership Foundation Trust are the NHS mental health organisation for Lincolnshire. They run a service called Lincolnshire Talking Therapies - this is a service that people can self-refer to, you can simply call to speak to someone who will assess what support you might need with your mental health. Leaflets explaining this service are available on the Connect To Support Health and Emergency Services tile - if you click on the heading "Mental health support" you will find links to leaflets in English, Ukrainian and Russian.

Shine Lincolnshire is a county wide charity which also aims to support people with poor mental health to live well through accessing a range of support services, working with service users and carers and other agencies in Lincolnshire.

Children

Holiday Activities and Food Programme (HAF)

The Holiday Activities and Food Programme is a government-funded programme that provides Reception to Year 11 children, who receive benefits-related free school meals, access to free healthy meals and activities during the school holidays.

Bookings for the Christmas school holidays are now open - the programme will run from Thursday 21st December to Tuesday 2nd January (excluding weekends and bank holidays).

Further details, including how to make a booking, are available on the HAF website.

Housing

Council Tax for HFU guests in their own home

Council Tax is a tax which goes to local councils to pay for local services such as schools, police and social care. Homes For Ukraine guests who move into privately rented property or a home of their own will become liable for paying Council Tax.

Council Tax requirements vary depending on who is living in the household. If all people living in a rented property have Homes For Ukraine visas then the group may be eligible for a 50% discount on their Council Tax. Council Tax is collected by district councils - if you have any questions about your Council Tax you should contact your local district council in the first instance.

The national guidance about Council Tax is published here within the HFU guidance for guests.

Private renting advice

We know that many Homes For Ukraine guests have moved into privately rented property, or are looking to move into privately rented property.

The UK Government provide a helpful website covering privately rented properties - this includes advice on topics such as responsibility for repairs, rent increases, anti-social behaviour. There is also advice on how to escalate repairs issues to your local council if the landlord is not maintaining the property to a suitable standard.

Skills and Learning

Greater Lincolnshire LEP skills bootcamps

Skills Bootcamps at a glance | Greater Lincolnshire LEP Skills bootcamps aim provide learners with skills that employers need. They are flexible courses of at least 60 hours of learning in no more than 16 weeks. These bootcamps are intended to give people the opportunity to gain sector-specific skills and fast-track to an interview with a local employer OR gain new skill sin an existing job.

Oxford University Graduate Scholarships for Ukraine

This scholarship programme will offer financial support to applicants who are nationals of Ukraine and that have been displaced by the war in Ukraine. This scholarship aims to provide support to full-time taught master's students beginning one-year courses at Oxford in the 2024-25 academic year.

These scholarships are open to candidates who meet the eligibility criteria, and each scholarship will cover course fees in full in addition to a £10,000 grant towards living expenses.

The Entrepreneurial Refugee Network

The Entrepreneurial Refugee Network (TERN) is a charity co-ordinating a business community of people from refugee backgrounds. If you are looking at starting a business they may be able to help you with mentoring, advice and networking opportunities.

You can sign up to become part of their network via the TERN website.

International English Language Testing System (IELTS)

IELTS is an internationally-recognised high-level English language qualification. Holding the IELTS qualification may help with finding a job.

IELTS testing centres are located around the country and there is a fee for undertaking the test, this is around £200. People undertaking the test should be confident they have a suitable level of English language skills (information about other English language courses in Lincolnshire can be found here).

If you are receiving Universal Credit then the Job Centre may be help you with your travel costs to attend a testing centre.

Lincolnshire County Council are looking at ways of helping with the cost of the test itself. If you are interesting in taking the IELTS exam and might need help with the costs of the exam, please contact us at homesforukraine@lincolnshire.gov.uk. We would also be keen to hear from you if you have already paid for the exam and can evidence you have passed with your certificate.

Online English lessons and employment skills

The UK Government is funding the STEP Ukraine programme - this is a free 12-week online English and employment skills course run by World Jewish Relief. The course is designed specifically to help Ukrainian guests with English language skills and also to provide training to help find meaningful employment in the UK - for example training in CV writing and interview skills.

The course runs for 2.5 hours per day Monday-Friday for 12 weeks and you can choose to attend in the morning, the afternoon or the evening. Morning and afternoon sessions will be timed so that parents can still take children to and from school.

If you are interested in attending this course please register via the website - the registration form is available in Ukrainian as well as English.

Visas and BRPs

Changes to the visa application process

The UK Government amended the process for applying for a Homes For Ukraine visa from 7th December 2023. The updated visa application process is explained here on the UK Government website (also available in Ukrainian and Russian).

Visa extensions beyond three years

We know that many hosts and guests are asking if Homes For Ukraine visas can be extended to more than three years, and we know that uncertainty around this is affecting all sorts of longer-term decisions guests and hosts are trying to make, ranging from housing to education.

We cannot confirm if Homes For Ukraine guests will be allowed to extend their visas to remain in the UK for more than three years. We know that the UK government are actively working on this, and have been for some time, but there is currently no route open to extending visas to more than three years.

We are expecting a further update from the UK government before Christmas, and of course we will share any news with all guests and hosts as soon as possible.

General visa advice

We maintain a webpage about Visas, Sponsoring and Hosting and would encourage hosts and guests to read through this when considering decisions about any future visa applications, for example if guests decide to become sponsors to other guests.

his page is intended to provide general advice but the experts are UK Visas and Immigration (part of the Home Office) who are the people who actually make the decisions on visa applications. UKVI are the experts and we would encourage hosts and guest to contact them with any detailed questions about the Homes For Ukraine visa process or with questions about other visa routes that may be open to Ukrainians hoping to come to the UK.

Contact details for UKVI are provided in the Visa advice section of the webpage.

Cost of Living

Cost of Living Support and Winter Warmth

Lincolnshire councils, alongside stakeholder groups including the Integrated Care Board, health and care providers, faith and community groups, charities and local businesses have come together to help support residents as the weather changes. Suggestions and advice for cost of living support can be found on Lincolnshire's Cost of Living Support website.

Grants for Older People

Friend's of the Elderly's grants programmes issues small grants of up to £400 (£500 for couples) - these are available to support vulnerable older people living on low incomes in England and Wales. These grants can be used to cover essential expenses such as purchasing a new fridge, paying unexpected bills, food, clothing, or covering gas and electricity costs.

To access a Friends of the Elderly grant you need to be referred by another approved organisation (you cannot apply directly).

The Wellbeing Lincs team are an approved organisation for referrals to Friends of the Elderly so if you think you may be eligible for one of these grants please contact the Wellbeing Lincs team in the first instance on ukraine.wellbeing@e-lindsey.gov.uk or 01507 613044.

Lincs Digital

Lincs Digital are an organisation who can, in some situations, help with access to digital technology - this might be through training sessions or the provision of a new equipment such as a tablet device.

Access to support from Lincs Digital requires a referral from another approved organisation (you cannot apply directly).

The Wellbeing Lincs team are an approved organisation for referring to Lincs Digital so if you would like to find out if you are eligible for help please contact the Wellbeing Lincs team in the first instance on ukraine.wellbeing@e-lindsey.gov.uk or 01507 613044.

Christmas Events

Louth Area Of Sanctuary are holding an event to celebrate the end of another year of welcome and friendship for Ukrainian refugees and their hosts.

The event is happening on Saturday 16th December at the Town and Country Club in Cannon Street, Louth from 12:30pm until 3:30pm.

Please telephone Louth Area Of Sanctuary on 07777 696 699 if you would like to attend.

Other Support

Wellbeing Lincs support for Ukrainians in Lincolnshire

Wellbeing Lincs logo

'Wellbeing Lincs' offers emotional and practical support - for example, help with advice on accessing health, education, benefits and 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 positive 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.

Citizens Advice

Citizens Advice logo

Citizens Advice is a charity that offers free support and advice to residents. They can help with a range of issues including claiming universal credit and other benefits. Citizens Advice can provide home visits in rural areas and can attend community groups in Lincolnshire with translation support.

In Lincolnshire there is a dedicated helpline number and email address for Homes For Ukraine guests to use if you would like to ask for help - you can call 0344 847 6128 or email ukraine@citizensadvicesouthlincs.org.uk

Important Links / Важливі посилання / Важные ссылки

Contact us

If you have any questions, please contact Lincolnshire County Council's 'Homes For Ukraine' team on homesforukraine@lincolnshire.gov.uk