Money, benefits and financial support

Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme (Homes for Ukraine - interim payment)

As part of the Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme (Homes for Ukraine), guests who have arrived in Lincolnshire are entitled to apply for a one off payment to assist during the time it takes to either access employment and/or have a claim for universal credit processed. The payment is £200 per person in the group (including children).

We understand that not all guests will have access to suitable banking arrangements, councils have therefore established a process with a charity called Charis who will issue an electronic voucher that can be taken to various outlets and exchanged for cash.

If you have not yet applied for this one off payment, please email homesforukraine@lincolnshire.gov.uk to confirm you have arrived with your sponsor and you will be provided with further guidance about how to apply.

Ukrainian Refugee Integration Fund

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 final round of funding is 31st March 2023.

Universal Credit

People arriving in the UK from Ukraine because of the Russian invasion can apply for financial help immediately and get extra help to find work. To find out more about the full range of benefits you could be eligible for, visit Understanding Universal Credit: Support for those fleeing the conflict in Ukraine.

It is worth noting that although the word ‘credit’ translates to ‘loan’ in Ukrainian, general Universal Credit is not repayable (although advances etc. are).

Claimants will be allocated to a work coach, who will be able to assist with the following:

pathway to eligibility for applicable benefits
access to bank accounts
applications for National Insurance Numbers (NINOs)
preparation for being work ready and access to employment opportunities
access to training
guidance on converting qualifications
CV guidance

Housing costs element of Universal Credit

The Turn2us website provides a useful overview of the housing costs element of Universal Credit.

Jobcentre Support

Jobcentre Support for Ukrainian Evacuees (PDF flyer)

Citizens Advice

For further impartial advice, Citizens Advice offer a national ‘Help to Claim’ service which is accessible via Citizens Advice or call 0800 144 8444 (calls are free and lines open 8am-6pm, Monday to Friday). Support with translation services where needed to access the service is also available.

CAP UK - money management advice and resources

The Christians Against Poverty (CAP) website contains a wealth of money management advice, including help with budgeting and some key terms explained.

CAP also offers free money management courses, including some held in Lincoln, which aim to help people take control of their finances to budget, save and help prevent debt.

Guidance for claiming Child Benefit

Anyone coming to the UK under the Ukraine Family Scheme or Homes for Ukraine scheme is entitled to claim Child Benefit immediately, rather than having to wait for the usual three-month qualifying period.

People who wish to claim should complete a CH2 Child Benefit claim form and submit this by post to the Child Benefit office. The address is included on the form.

They should provide an original birth certificate and the passport or travel document used to enter the UK. Where this documentation is not immediately available, people are advised to include a note in their claim and someone from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) will be in touch to discuss further.

Anyone wanting more information on Child Benefit can call 0300 200 3100 (from inside the UK) or visit gov.uk.

To complete a CH2 form, visit gov.uk.

Bank account options within the UK

The currency in the UK is the Pound Sterling (£). £1 (one pound) = 100p (100 pennies, or pence). Cash is accepted in most places, but increasingly people use debit or credit cards to pay for goods and services.

You will require a UK bank account in order to be paid for employment, receive benefits, make bill payments for utilities (such as phone bill) or pay rent. Setting up a bank account should be made a priority upon arrival in the UK.

To open a bank account you will need to complete an application form either in the bank in person or online. They will ask for several documents as proof of identity including full name, date of birth and address. This is usually by means of a passport, driving licence or utility bill. Different forms of identification will be accepted if the previous are not owned, but this may differ depending upon the bank.

Banking guide for refugees (Refugee Council website)

HSBC

HSBC are helping Ukrainian refugees in the UK to apply for a current account. Colleagues will work with you to review ID documents available and provide guidance. You can apply online or in a branch local to you.

Visit HSBC for more information or if you need further support email lincoln.appointments@hsbc.com.

Proof of identity - in order of most widely accepted

current Passport
Biometric Residency Permit (BRP)
Department for Work and Pensions letter confirming right or entitlement to benefits
current full (or provisional) UK driving licence
UK Home Office travel document
UK Home Office application registration card
UK Home Office immigration status with right to reside
notification of other government or local authority grant

Note: A provisional driving licence can be obtained with a biometric residency permit. There is a fee for getting a provisional driving licence. How to apply for a provisional licence.

Proof of address - in order of most widely accepted

council tax bill
Tenancy Agreement
utility bill (electricity, gas or water bill) from the last 3 to 4 months
current EU or EEA driver’s licence (or provisional)
HMRC Tax Notification
Department for Work and Pensions letter confirming right to benefits

You should ask about any charges when you open a bank account. Depending on the terms and conditions of your account, you may be charged if you spend more money than you have or for other services that may be included.

Once you open your account, you will usually be issued with a debit card which can be used to pay for things in most shops. You can also arrange for bills to be paid directly from your account using ‘direct debit’.

Further advice can be found on the Citizens Advice website or by speaking directly to your bank of choice.

All households are responsible for their own individual costs of running their own home for example utilities such as gas, electric and water, and Council Tax. There are two living arrangements applicable to this Homes for Ukraine scheme:

Sharing accommodation with your host

This is where you live in the same property as your host, sharing some of the facilities such as kitchen, bathroom and living area, but you should have a separate bedroom for your household. The Sponsor will receive a monthly 'thank you' payment towards the cost of hosting you. This payment is in recognition of them welcoming you into their home and a contribution to some of the additional costs incurred as result of that hosting arrangement. The Sponsor should not be asking you to pay rent but may ask you to contribute to things like the shopping. It is important that you agree this prior to or on arrival to avoid misunderstandings.

Independent self contained accommodation

This is where the Sponsor has arranged for you to have your own property with sole access which means you do not share facilities with any other household. The Sponsor will still receive a monthly 'thank you' payment and should not ask you for rent. However, you will be solely responsible for the household bills associated with that property. You will be required to pay this from either your wage or salary or your Universal Credit. One thing to note that is different to living in Ukraine, is that in the UK you are required by law to purchase a TV licence. This is applicable If you watch or record live TV programmes, watch or stream programmes live on an online TV service, or download and watch any BBC programmes on BBC iPlayer. You can buy or renew a TV licence online at www.tvlicensing.co.uk or by calling 0330 790 6165. It is illegal not to own a TV licence if you are watching TV in any of these ways. If you do not have a TV licence you can be prosecuted and fined up to £1000.

Find your nearest store on the PayPoint website.

Guest arrival and accessing the ‘thank you’ payment

All sponsors have the option to receive a monthly 'thank you' payment for up to 24 months, paid in arrears, for as long as you are hosting your guests and that the accommodation provided is of a suitable standard. You will be eligible for the first monthly payment once the local council has visited to check the standard of the accommodation, your guests have arrived and a safe and well visit has been undertaken by Lincolnshire Fire & Rescue. There can only be one payment per residential address.

To access this, please promptly email us on homesforukraine@lincolnshire.gov.uk to notify us that your guest(s) have arrived. We will then email you with information about how to apply for the 'thank you' payment. We will also email you AND your guest(s) about how your guest(s) can claim an interim payment of £200 per guest for subsistence costs.

If you have already applied for sponsor and/or guest(s) payment

The completed online application goes through to your local district council for verification. Please use the contact details below if you have any changes in circumstances that may affect the application:

Boston Borough Council Standards@boston.gov.uk
City of Lincoln Council UkraineSPOC@lincoln.gov.uk
East Lindsey District Council HousingStandardsELDC@e-lindsey.gov.uk
North Kesteven District Council HomesforUkraine@n-kesteven.gov.uk
South Holland District Council Privatehousing@sholland.gov.uk
South Kesteven District Council ukrainespoc@southkesteven.gov.uk
West Lindsey District Council homesforukraine@west-lindsey.gov.uk

Department for Work and Pensions

DWP support for Ukrainians arriving in the UK provides an overview of support and services available to Ukrainians arriving in the UK, including how to get a National Insurance number, applying for benefits and Jobcentre Plus services.

The Job Centre has also put together a ‘myth buster’ detailing Jobcentre support for Ukrainian guests.

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 monthly '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).