22nd June 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?
E-newsletter distribution
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
‘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.
'Thank you' payments when a guest leaves
When guests leave a host, we have to bring the 'thank you' payments to an end, which involves reconciling the payments in line with government guidance.
If your guest leaves part-way through a month rather than exactly on the same date in the month they arrived then we have to calculate how many days of that final part-month they were with you. If the guest was with you for 16 or more days of that part-month then you'll receive a further monthly 'thank you' payment, if it was 15 or fewer days you won't. For example, if a guest arrived with a host on 1 January and left on 10 April the host would receive three ‘thank you’ payments (for January, February and March). If a guest arrived with a host on 1 January and left on 20 April, the host would receive four ‘thank you’ payments (for January, February, March and April).
As payments are made in arrears by district councils, who all operate different timescales for their payment runs, we know this can sometimes be confusing as to whether or not hosts have received the correct amount for their time spent hosting.
Please contact homesforukraine@lincolnshire.gov.uk if you have any questions or need any further clarification.
Summer Holiday Activities and Food programme for school age children – bookings opening soon
Bookings are opening soon for the summer Holiday Activities and Food programme, taking place from late July to early September 2023 (excluding weekends and bank holidays).
The Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) 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.
Bookings for the summer programme will open on Friday 30 June 2023. To book on to a club, you will require a HAF E-voucher, which are provided by schools. E-vouchers will include a link to the booking site.
More information about the programme is available on the ‘Connect to Support’ website.
Hosting new guests and visas
If you’re an existing host planning to sponsor visas for more Ukrainian guests, please can we request that you wait until you have empty and available rooms in your property before making any new visa applications?
We’ve had several recent applications where there’s not currently space available in the property - often this is because a current guest is planning to move out and hosts have made another application in expectation that the visa for their new guest may take some time to be issued.
Unfortunately, in these situations we may have to fail the new visa application because we have to assess what accommodation is available at the time the visa application is made. If the current guest is still there it may lead to the visa application for the new guest being rejected - even though the existing guest is planning to move out. We are seeing plans changing at short notice (understandable given the fluid situation in Ukraine) and are trying to avoid situations where we have too many guests to be safely accommodated in a property.
Please contact homesforukraine@lincolnshire.gov.uk if you need any further details.
Homes for Ukraine Toolkit
A team of researchers from the Institute for Research into Superdiversity at the University of Birmingham have created a comprehensive 'Homes for Ukraine' toolkit.
If you haven’t already seen it, there are many useful resources available, including a list of things that guests need to know about life in the UK, things that hosts need to know about Ukrainian people and a section on how to handle difficult conversations. The toolkit is available in both English and Ukrainian.
Reminder about contents insurance for hosts
We recommend that all sponsors/hosts have contents and buildings insurance to cover any potential damage to their home whilst hosting Ukrainian guests. This will ensure that you can claim for any possible accidental damage to furniture, carpets or appliances. The Homes for Ukraine team can’t reimburse the cost of any damage to your property or its contents.
Insurers have agreed that for homeowners accommodating people coming from Ukraine in their home, there is no need to contact your insurer on the basis that they are accommodated as non-paying guests. Read more on the gov.uk website.
LAST CHANCE - 'Is it for me?'
Webinar for Ukrainian guests looking to start their own business
12-3pm, Tuesday 27 June 2023
If you missed the first two webinars, and are a Ukrainian guest interested in becoming self-employed, there's still time to register for the final session taking place on Tuesday 27 June 2023.
Delivered by NBV Enterprise Solutions in conjunction with Lincolnshire County Council and the Department for Work and Pensions, the session is written and delivered by people who have started their own business from the ground up. It's designed to give attendees a helpful insight into the world of self-employment and will focus on a diverse range of areas to be considered by anyone wishing to start a business in the UK.
Topics covered:
- An overview of what’s involved in starting and running a business
- The different types of trading status - sole trader, limited company, etc
- The challenges of starting a new business
- The benefits of starting a business
- Will business suit you - skills
- How confident are you about your business idea?
- Question and answer session
An interpreter will be on hand to translate the content and facilitate any questions along with a colleague from the Department for Work and Pensions.
Please note that places are limited. To register your interest, please email homesforukraine@lincolnshire.gov.uk.
In-person support from Citizens Advice
Citizens Advice and 'Wellbeing Lincs' are continuing to offer in-person support for hosts and guests in Lincolnshire at a number of community groups across the county.
If you're a host or guest with questions on benefits, debt and money, employment, consumer issues, housing, family or immigration, drop in for a chat and some advice.
Find your nearest support session by visiting the 'Connect to Support' website.
Events
Ukrainian Cultural Centre Lincoln - Summer BBQ
St Mary le Wigford Church, Lincoln
12-3pm, Sunday 2 July 2023
The Ukrainian Cultural Centre in Lincoln is pleased to invite you to its summer barbeque at St Mary le Wigford Church.
The price of the event is £5 per person (free for children aged 0-5) and the ticket price includes freshly prepared kebabs, burgers, chicken thighs as well as vegetables, bread, sauces and soft drinks.
There are only 50 places available and reservations are required. Contact the team on ukrainianculturalcenterlincoln@gmail.com to book a space.
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).
Connect to Support Lincolnshire
Connect to Support is an online information and advice library, community directory and provider marketplace for people in Lincolnshire.
The Advice for Ukrainian Arrivals information pages are regularly updated and aim to guide Ukrainian guests to local services during their stay in Lincolnshire.
The in-built Google Translate function means that the information can easily be translated into both Ukrainian and Russian. You can also view past editions of this e-newsletter on the site.