21st March 2024

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 Lincolnshire County Council's 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.

Відвідайте веб-сайт "Зверніться до служби підтримки", щоб прочитати цей інформаційний бюлетень українською або російською мовами.

Посетите сайт "Связь с поддержкой", чтобы прочитать этот бюллетень на украинском или русском языках.

THANK YOU PAYMENTS

Upcoming changes to the administration of thank you payments to hosts

In accordance with national guidance you may be receiving a monthly thank you payment for hosting a Homes For Ukraine guest.

We are planning a change to how thank you payments are processed.

Currently these payments are processed through your District Council but we have decided that Lincolnshire County Council will take over the job of making these payments. This will enable us to simplify the application process, resolve queries faster and reduce confusion for hosts who can be unsure which Local Authority they need to notify of any changes in circumstances.

The exact date your payments start coming from Lincolnshire County Council is not fixed - we are going to transition a few hosts at a time so it will take us a few months to work across the whole county.

All hosts who receive thank you payments will be emailed in advance of us changing where the payment comes from. We will email you with more information about the changes, your existing and revised payment plan and what information we will need from you in advance of the changeover from District Councils to LCC.

This change does not affect how much you are eligible to receive, it is just a behind-the-scenes administrative change of where the payments come from.

We would also like to note that hosts are able to apply at any point during their hosting and - subject to meeting the eligibility criteria for being a host - may be entitled to back-dated payments.

If you have any questions or concerns about the change to your thank you payments being sent from Lincolnshire County Council, please contact us on homesforukraine@lincolnshire.gov.uk

Eligibility criteria for thank you payments when guests are absent for more than 28 days

The UK Government have updated the eligibility criteria for thank you payments when guests are regularly leaving a host's accommodation for work or education purposes, specifically when a guest is regularly absent for more than 28 days due to the nature and/or location of their employment/studies.

In the past the UK Government instruction has been that we should pause thank you payments when guests are absent for more than 28 days.

However the UK Government have now said that we can continue paying thank you payments when guests are absent for more than 28 days if this is part of a regular series of movements connected with work or study.

Typical examples might be - a Ukrainian guest who works a shift pattern elsewhere but who regularly returns to their host when they are not working, or a Ukrainian guest who is studying at university but returns to their host at weekends or during university holidays. In these situations we are allowed to pay thank you payments continuously, even for the time the guest is not with you.

In other irregular cases of absence for more than 28 days - for example if your guest returns to Ukraine to visit relatives - we are still instructed to pause thank you payments while the guest is absent.

If we have been regularly pausing your thank you payments but you believe that your arrangement is covered by the circumstances above - i.e. your guest has been regularly coming and going for work or study reasons - you may be eligible to claim some missing thank you payments. Please email us on homesforukraine@lincolnshire.gov.uk to discuss this further.

VISA SCHEME UPDATES

Homes for Ukraine Visas

Since 7th December 2023 the new Homes For Ukraine visa process requires the guest to attend an in-person appointment at a Visa Application Centre (VAC) to provide biometric information. If the visa application is approved, then the guest will need to physically return to a VAC to have a vignette placed in their passport to allow them to travel to the UK. A biometric residence permit (BRP) will be waiting in the UK for collection after the guest arrives.

It is important to note that once a guest has been issued with a vignette, they must travel within 90 days of issue as part of their visa conditions.

Further details on the new application process can be found on the UK Government website.

Visa extensions

On 19th February 2024 the UK Government announced the implementation of the Ukraine Permission Extension scheme. This will allow Ukrainian guests on Homes For Ukraine visas the opportunity to extend their visa by a further 18 months.

Details of the Ukraine Permission Extension scheme are still emerging but the current plan is to allow guests to apply within the last 3 months of their existing visa. So it is envisaged that the first people applying for an extension will be able to do that from around January 2025.

We will provide further details as they become available to us over the next few months.

LEARNING AND EMPLOYMENT

Learning to Speak English (ESOL)

We understand how important learning to speak English is to help with finding a job, attending school and fitting in to your community.

There are lots of opportunities in Lincolnshire to learn and improve your English. English language courses are sometimes referred to as ESOL – English for Speakers of Other Languages.

If you would like to find out more information about this please click here.

Are you currently looking for work?

We understand that it can be challenging and time-consuming trying to find a job; sometimes it feels impossible because you simply do not know where to start. The UK Government have developed a website which could help. If you are interested in searching and applying for job opportunities in Great Britain, you could use the 'Find a Job' website to look for available roles.

The website uploads a range of jobs in a wide variety of sectors, and across both public and private organisations. Similarly, you are able to filter your search by salary, location, contract type and working hours, to enable you to find a job which is suitable for you. You can also create an account on the website to save jobs you are interested in, to view/apply later, and to keep track of your progress in your job hunt.

Careers Advice

National Careers Service provides careers information, advice and guidance. This service is able to provide support at any stage within your career. You are able to assess your skills, explore careers, or find courses that may be suitable to your needs on their website.

FINANCES

New Financial Year

The UK financial year will be drawing to a close as of 31st March 2024. During the transition into the new financial year from 1st April 2024, there are a number of changes that it will be important for you to prepare for. There may be some changes which will impact household bills. This may include changes to council tax, phone bills and Local Housing Allowance rates.

Funding Available for Ukrainian Guests in Lincolnshire

The Big Lincolnshire Welcome Fund has been created to help displaced Ukrainian families and individuals living in Lincolnshire to feel welcomed and integrated into their new surroundings.

Any Ukrainian guests in Lincolnshire, who have not previously applied and received funding, can apply to the fund and choose for themselves essential item(s) up to the value of £150 for an individual or £300 for a family unit. There is no time limit on when you can apply and receive this funding but it is limited to one successful application per individual/family unit, so you may wish to take the time to carefully consider what you may need at a time that is right for you and your circumstances.

For full guidance and details of how to apply, please visit the Lincolnshire Community Foundation website.

UKRAINIAN SUPPORT GROUPS

Financial grants for Ukrainian Support Groups

Lincolnshire Community Foundation have launched a new fund to offer up to £10,000 to community groups in Lincolnshire who are supporting Homes For Ukraine guests.

We would encourage all community groups who are supporting Ukrainian guests to consider making an application.

Further information such as eligibility criteria, application forms and deadlines are available on the Lincolnshire Community Foundation website.

Ukrainian Support Groups

Have you or someone you know moved into a new area of Lincolnshire, are you looking for a local group to meet new people, join activities and get involved in your local area? If so please head to Ukraine Support Groups | Lincolnshire for up to date information on what our local groups who are supporting Ukrainians are up to!

EVENTS

Holiday Activities and Food Programme (HAF)

The Holiday Activities and Food programme (HAF) is a Government funded programme that provides free holiday clubs for reception to year 11 pupils in receipt of benefits-related free school meals in Lincolnshire over the summer, Christmas, and Easter holidays.

Easter HAF will take place from Tuesday 2nd April - Monday 15th April excluding weekends and bank holidays.

Kids Eat for Less

A range of supermarkets and restaurants aim to take the pressure off family meals during the Easter Holidays please see a list of local offers below:

Morrisons Café - Kids eat free with any adult meal purchased over £4.50
Beefeater Grill - Kids eat free free unlimited breakfast with every adult meal purchased
Brewers Fayre - Kids eat free unlimited breakfast with every adult breakfast purchased
Hungry Horse - Kids eat free breakfast with any adult breakfast purchased

To find out more and see other nationwide offers please click here.

Training Events

Reset - Communities for Refugees are running a number of different online training events in the coming weeks for hosts or guests. Reset aims to connect, support and guide individuals in the Homes for Ukraine scheme.

If you would like to find out what training events they have scheduled please click here.

Piece By Peace

Louth Area of Sanctuary are organising a Peace Blanket and you are invited to contribute to our, to raise funds for Ukraine.

Crochet or knit a 15cm square in yellow or blue and send it to us to be sewn into blankets, which will either be sold to raise funds for charities chosen by our Ukrainian community, or sent to the care sector in Ukraine. You choose: blue or yellow or blue and yellow – any shade – plain or patterned.

Flowers in blue and yellow will equally be welcomed and either sewn onto the blankets or made into brooches. Gifts of blue or yellow yarn, or 4mm crochet hooks, also gratefully received.

Please deliver/post your completed squares and flowers (must be in an envelope and clearly marked) to:

Louth Area of Sanctuary, c/o Baby Bank at the Methodist Church, Nichol Hill LN11 9NQ – Weds 9.30am – 1.30pm, Friday 10am – 12pm (through the letterbox anytime)
Boxes of Hope Community Hub, 23 High Street, Holbeach PE12 7DY – Monday - Friday 10am – 2pm
All Saints & St John’s Unity Centre, West Street, Stamford PE9 2PR – Sundays 1pm – 5pm

For further information, WhatsApp, text or phone us on 07777 696 690

English Heritage

English Heritage allow free entry for refugees, though if you are accompanying a refugee and are not an English Heritage member you will need to pay the normal admission price. Please note a small number of the sites are not managed by English Heritage and these sites may have different admission policies. Please check with the individual site before visiting. If you would like to find out more please visit www.english-heritage.org.uk.

OTHER SUPPORT

Wellbeing Lincs support for Ukrainians in Lincolnshire

'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 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