5th January 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?
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
Best wishes for the New Year
As we enter 2023, we'd like to thank you all for your support and take a moment to send our best wishes for the New Year and to everyone celebrating Ukrainian Christmas this week.
National changes to sponsor/host ‘thank you’ payments
In our last e-newsletter we updated you on some changes to sponsor/host 'thank you' payments. The key points to note are:
- ‘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. When a host receives the national increase will depend on when their guests arrived in the UK.
- Lincolnshire County Council will also 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. 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.
If you have any queries about these changes, please contact homesforukraine@lincolnshire.gov.uk
Do you have friends or family members who may be interested in becoming a host?
With many hosting relationships now having reached the six month mark and beyond we are appealing for new hosts across the county to rematch with existing guests. Whilst the national and local priority is to ensure as many sponsorship relationships as possible are sustainable and can support guests for six months and longer, in a minority of cases this will not be possible and a ‘rematch’ may be required. In addition, many hosts are only able to commit to hosting for the initial six month period meaning we need to find new hosts for their guests.
If you think someone you know may be interested in providing accommodation for a minimum of six months for guests already settled in Lincolnshire and requiring a rematch host, they can contact homesforukraine@lincolnshire.gov.uk for an informal chat and more information.
You may also be reading this as a host whose guests have moved on, or have plans to move on, into independent accommodation. If you're able to host again, we'd be very interested in hearing from you. Hosts will receive an increased ‘thank you’ payment of £500 a month for any guests who have been in the country for over a year, including those who are rematched with new hosts.
New funding available for guests and Ukrainian community groups
The Lincolnshire Community Foundation recently announced the re-launch of the ‘Big Lincolnshire Welcome Fund’, alongside the introduction of the new ‘Ukrainian Refugee Integration Fund’.
This is thanks to a £150,000 funding boost from the Central Government’s Homes for Ukraine Scheme via Lincolnshire County Council.
'Big Lincolnshire Welcome Fund'
Funding is available to give a displaced person from Ukraine the opportunity to choose for themselves what item(s) up to the value of £150 for an individual or £300 for a family unit, they need to make their lives better here in Lincolnshire.
More than 50 Ukrainian guests accessed the fund in 2022 and this new funding will allow even more people to benefit.
For full guidance and details of how to apply, please visit the Lincolnshire Community Foundation website.
'Ukrainian Refugee Integration Fund' open for community group applications
Grants of up to £10,000 will be available to any new, emerging, or existing community groups and not for profit organisations in Lincolnshire to strengthen their ability to support Ukrainian refugees and help them better integrate into local communities.
Project funding will be awarded to those requests which help reduce isolation, vulnerability and promote cohesion; meaningful activities which have a positive impact on mental health and wellbeing; support around employment and learning, including English language lessons.
Find out more on the Lincolnshire Community Foundation website and please help us to spread the word to community groups in your local area. The closing date for receipt of completed bids for the first round of funding is 31 January 2023.
Employment survey reminder
If you're a Ukrainian guest either in work or searching for a job, we'd be grateful if you could complete our employment survey. 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. The survey closes at 4pm on Friday 27 January 2023.
English classes for Ukrainian guests
Ukrainian guests looking to develop their English, can visit the Adult Learning and Employment page of the Connect to Support website for details of ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) courses in Lincolnshire. Remote courses are also available for those unable to travel.
In some cases, funding can be provided to help adults attend these courses, including helping with transport and childcare costs. Please contact the course contact/provider for further information. If you're struggling to find a course with availability please email homesforukraine@lincolnshire.gov.uk with your location.
Qualification conversion
If you are a Ukrainian guest who is claiming Universal Credit, the Job Centre may be able to help you convert Ukrainian qualifications into the equivalent qualifications in the UK.
If you have any professional qualifications, converting them to their UK equivalents may help you to find employment in your preferred sector of work.
The best way to raise this with the Job Centre is either face to face with your Work Coach or by making a request via your online journal – this will ensure that the request to convert your qualifications is properly logged.
The Job Centre can then support you to work with an organisation called Ecctis to recognise and evaluate your qualifications and skills.
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).
‘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.