Visas, Sponsoring and Hosting

Visa

A visa is the document giving a Ukrainian permission to be in the UK. There are different types of visas. Different visas give different permissions – some visas allow guests to work in the UK, some do not. The length of time the guest is allowed to be in the UK can also vary depending on the visa. Some visas require a sponsor and some do not. Some visa are free, some have a cost.

All Ukrainians wanting to come to the UK will need a visa of some kind.

Sponsor

A sponsor is the person living in the UK who has sponsored the visa for the Ukrainian guest (if their visa requires a sponsor).

A guest will only ever have one sponsor.

Host

A host is the person living in the UK who is allowing a guest on the Homes for Ukraine scheme to live in their property. Providing they pass suitable checks the host is eligible to receive the monthly ‘thankyou’ payment of £350 (rising to £500 if the guest has been in the UK for more than twelve months).

The difference between sponsors and hosts

In some cases the sponsor and host are the same person but this is not always true – it is possible for a guest to have multiple hosts – this typically arises when guests move to new accommodation.

For example, a guest may be sponsored to come to the UK by Mr A and the guest may live with Mr and Mrs A for a while. Then Mr and Mrs A may no longer be able to offer accommodation to the guest. A second couple, Mr and Mrs B, decide to offer accommodation to the guest. So the guest moves to new hosts Mr and Mrs B.

In this situation Mr and Mrs B are now the hosts for this guest but they are not the sponsor.

In certain situations Homes for Ukraine guests can go on to become Homes for Ukraine sponsors and hosts.

 

Visa are issued by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI). There are some details below about the various different visa options available to Ukrainians, but UKVI are the experts.

UKVI offer a phone helpline specifically for questions about visa processes for Ukrainians - helpline number is 0808 164 8810. Please note that this phone line can only answer general questions about visa processes, they cannot look at individual visa applications.

This phone number is available 24 hours a day, calls are free and Ukrainian and Russian translators are available if required.

Homes for Ukraine visa

The Homes for Ukraine scheme exists to allow UK residents to sponsor visas for Ukrainians wanting to seek refuge in the UK.

Homes for Ukraine hosts have to be able to offer suitable accommodation for their guests for a minimum of six months, pass suitable background checks and facilitate a safeguarding visit once the guests have arrived.

If the various checks are passed then hosts qualify for a thankyou payment of £350 per month (which rises to £500 a month once guests have been in the UK for twelve months).

Ukrainian guests who are granted Homes for Ukraine visas are eligible to live in the UK for up to 3 years, will have the right to work and will have full access to public funds.

Guests can only apply for a Homes for Ukraine visa from outside the UK.

A UK-based sponsor is required for the Homes for Ukraine scheme.

There are full details of the eligibility requirements, visa conditions, guidance on the scheme and details on how to make an application here: Homes for Ukraine

If a Ukrainian guest is wanting to come and visit the UK for a short time – for example a Ukrainian relative visiting for a couple of weeks – then a Homes for Ukraine visa is not appropriate. Instead the guest should apply for a Standard Visitor visa (details below).

Ukraine Family Scheme visa

The Ukraine Family Scheme exists for Ukrainians who were already living in the UK pre-March 2022 to act as sponsors for their Ukrainian relatives wanting to seek refuge in the UK.

Ukrainian guests who are granted Ukraine Family Scheme visas are eligible to live in the UK for up to 3 years, will have the right to work and will have full access to public funds.

There are no thankyou payments for being a host under the Ukraine Family Scheme.

Guests can only apply for a Ukraine Family Scheme visa from outside the UK.

A UK-based sponsor is required for the Ukraine Family Scheme.

There are full details of the eligibility requirements, visa conditions and details on how to make an application here: Ukraine Family Scheme

Ukraine Extension Scheme visa

The Ukraine Extension Scheme visa is appropriate for Ukrainians who were already in the UK pre-March 2022 – for example, Ukrainians who were in the UK on work visas and who would like to apply to extend the length of time they are allowed to stay in the UK.

A UK-based sponsor is not required for the Ukraine Extension Scheme.

There are full details of the eligibility requirements, visa conditions and details on how to make an application here: Ukraine Extension Scheme

Standard Visitor visa

For short visits to the UK – up to 6 months – the correct visa to use is a Standard Visitor visa.

This is the visa that should be used when friends or relatives in Ukraine are hoping to come to the UK for a short visit.

Ukrainians in the UK on Standard Visitor visas cannot work and cannot claim any benefits from public funds.

There are full details on how to apply here: Standard Visitor

 

The eligibility criteria for becoming a Homes for Ukraine sponsor are stated in the government guidance.

The key criteria for sponsoring a Homes for Ukraine visa are:

• being aged over 18
• having permission to reside in the UK for at least 6 months
• being able to offer suitable accommodation for at least 6 months
• passing the various background checks, for example DBS checks conducted by Lincolnshire County Council and security checks conducted at a national level by the Home Office

These criteria mean that a HFU guest can themselves subsequently become a HFU sponsor – and understandably many HFU guests want to sponsor visas for friends and relatives to join them in the UK. The typical pathway for this is that a guest comes to the UK, lives with a UK host for a few months, moves into a private rented house or flat and then sponsors a friend or relative to come and live with them.

The main issue we have experienced when guests sponsor a visa application is demonstrating that they can offer suitable accommodation for six months. Some guests are not offering suitable accommodation (e.g. trying to sponsor too many people which would lead to overcrowding) or guests cannot demonstrate that they can offer accommodation for at least six months, because they do not have a tenancy agreement that lasts long enough or do not have permission from their landlord to sponsor additional guests.

Each case requires careful consideration by the relevant local authorities. However, it is certainly possible for Homes for Ukraine guests to subsequently become Homes for Ukraine sponsors and many guests in Lincolnshire have successfully done that.

 

The criteria for guests becoming hosts are less clear. As the Homes for Ukraine scheme has evolved, a wide variety of arrangements have emerged involving various combinations of relatives and friends where a thankyou payment has been requested.

The government have not published any guidance on when a guest can become a host, but they have confirmed that the rules are:

Where two or more Homes for Ukraine visa holders are related or in a relationship, and have lived in the UK as part of the same sponsorship household, it would not be permissible for one of these guests to subsequently receive a thank you payment for ‘hosting’ other members of their household as a rematch if they subsequently move out into independent accommodation.

There are many different scenarios of guests requesting to host their family members and is it is not straightforward to tell if these arrangements will lead to a thankyou payment or not, but we can give a few example scenarios:

• a Ukrainian husband and wife are sponsored by a Lincolnshire resident to come to the UK. The husband and wife live with the sponsor for a while, then move out into rented accommodation. In this situation the wife would not be eligible to host the husband and receive the thankyou payments, because they both lived together with the same sponsor.
• a Ukrainian husband is sponsored by a Lincolnshire resident. His wife is sponsored by a different Lincolnshire resident living in a different house. The husband and wife arrive in the UK separately. They subsequently move into rented accommodation together. In this situation the wife would be eligible to receive a monthly thankyou payment for hosting her husband (or vice versa). This is because that, although related, they did not live as part of the same sponsor household before moving into rented accommodation.
• a Ukrainian wife is sponsored by a Lincolnshire resident to come to the UK. She lives with the UK resident for a while then moves out into rented accommodation. The Ukrainian wife then sponsors a visa application for her husband. He comes to the UK and lives with his wife.
  In this situation the wife would be eligible to receive monthly thankyou payments for hosting her husband, because they did not both live together in the same sponsor household.

These are just a few examples – there are many other possible permutations of friends and relatives applying to host one another. If you are in doubt whether or not you will receive a thankyou payment, it is best to contact homesforukraine@lincolnshire.gov.uk to discuss your proposed arrangements before committing to them. We can confirm whether or not thankyou payments will be approved for your proposed arrangements.

 

Once you are in the UK, to provide your biometrics within six months you need to visit: Ukraine Scheme BRP. Once your details have been received, you will be told how to provide your biometric information. This might be by using the ID Check app on your phone or by visiting a centre in the UK. You should do this as soon as possible and you must do this within six months to enable you to stay in the UK for three years.

You can call the free 24/7 helpline on 0808 164 8810 if you are in the UK for help with any questions about the scheme.

 

When your guest arrives

• Meet your guests and help them settle in
  Information about how to make your guests feel more comfortable in their new home, set expectations about how to live together and communicate with your guests.
• Sponsors of children travelling to, or staying in the UK without their parent or legal guardian
  What to do if you are asked to look after your guest's child or children unexpectedly. This could include if your guest needs to leave the country, or travel separately.
• If you're worried about a guest or their children
  What to do if you are concerned for your guests or their children's safety. Includes what to do if you think they are being exploited.
• If your guest will be absent temporarily

What to do if your guest will be temporarily absent from your accommodation.

 

Ending sponsorship or rematching

• When you have sponsored for 6 months
  Information about next steps when you have sponsored a guest for 6 months.
• Finding a new host (rematching)
  If your guests are not ready to leave sponsorship and move into their own alternative accommodation, but you can no longer accommodate them, they may want to find a new host.
• Ending your hosting arrangements, and helping your guest with their next steps
  Information about what to do if you need to end your hosting arrangements for any reason.

 

Arriving and living in the UK

• Arriving in the UK
  What to do when you arrive in the UK if you have a visa, don't have a visa or have a biometric residence permit.
• Welcome Points and travelling to your sponsor
  Where the welcome points are, what facilities are available and how to make travel arrangements to meet your host.
• Living with your sponsor
  How to live with your sponsor, what to expect from them and what to do if things don't work out.
• Parents of children under 18 travelling to, or staying in, the UK without their parent or legal guardian
  What you need to do if you need to leave your children in the care of your sponsor, or if you can't travel with your children to the UK.
• Driving and public transport
  The legal requirements for getting your driving licence, and how public transport works in the UK.
• Get urgent help and report a crime
  Who to call in an emergency, like police, fire or ambulance services.
• Get urgent medical help
  How to get medical help for emergencies, issues that can't wait until you can see your GP and dental emergencies.
• Continuing to live with your host or rematching
  What your options are if you want to continue to live with your host, or if you need to move on to a new host.
• Renting private accommodation
  How to rent privately, including your rights and responsibilities.

 

Access benefits and essential services

• Get a bank account and your arrival payment
  How to find the right bank for you, and when you will receive your arrival payment.
• Apply for Universal Credit and other benefits
  Benefits that are available to you and how to apply for them.
• Get a National Insurance number
  How to get a national insurance number if you are working or are claiming benefits.
• Register with a doctor and get medication
  How to register with an NHS doctor and patient questionnaires in Ukrainian and Russian.

 

Work and tax

• Find a job
  Where to find work, who can help you and how to access skills based training for employment.
• Working in Healthcare in the UK
  The regulations about working in any healthcare role, and how to register with the appropriate accredited bodies.
• Your rights at work
  What you can expect from your employer and what your responsibilities are as an employee. What to do if you think you are being treated unfairly at work.
• Paying tax
  The types of tax you will pay as an employee and how this could affect any benefits your claim.
• Paying taxes in the UK if you work for an employer based in Ukraine
  Find out about paying Income Tax and National Insurance contributions if you arrive in the UK but are still working for an employer in Ukraine.

 

Education

• Childcare and education up to 16 years old
  How and when to apply for childcare places and schools.
• Education for people from 16 years old to adults
  Sixth form, further education (like college), higher education (like university), apprenticeships and skills based training available.
• Learn to speak, read and write English
  Resources and training to learn English.

 

Health

• Adult Health
  Services and care available through the NHS for adults.
• Care for elderly, vulnerable or disabled adults
  How to access social care, plus support if you, or someone you care for is blind.
• Child Health
  Services and care available through the NHS for children.

 

You are here as guests in accordance with one of the following UK Immigration arrangements:

Ukraine Family Scheme Visa

If you came to the UK to join the household of a family member, it is important to note that you did that by mutual agreement and personal arrangement. The expectation is that you will continue to reside with your family for as long as you need that safe place to stay, or if you are able to source your own accommodation. Whilst the local authorities are not involved in that arrangement, you may find some of the information on this website useful to you during your stay.

 

Homes for Ukraine Scheme

Those who offer a home to people fleeing Ukraine, are called a “sponsor”. They have registered their interest in being a sponsor with the UK Government. The sponsors offer of room(s) or a property is for a minimum of six months, but ideally for as long as your “guests” need a safe place to stay. Guests will be able to live and work in the UK for up to three years and access benefits, healthcare, employment and other support.

For more information on these national schemes and the role of the Lincolnshire councils, please visit the Ukraine Response page.

 

Wellbeing Lincs is a countywide service funded by Lincolnshire County Council supporting adults across Lincolnshire to achieve confident, fulfilled and independent living. Wellbeing Lincs have established a service designed to assist Ukrainian citizens who have moved to Lincolnshire through the family, or sponsorship schemes recently launched by central government.

We can provide emotional support, as well as help accessing statutory services such as health, education, benefits and council services including housing. We can also help link you with community support services and charities.

While we will attempt to assist with requests for help outside the above list, we are not able to provide general updates to the public on where to send donations, or how to receive assistance for Ukrainian citizens who have been in the UK since before the current conflict.

To access our service please provide us with your name, address, contact information and a brief idea of your main reason for contacting us to ukraine.wellbeing@e-lindsey.gov.uk. We will contact you as soon as possible to discuss how we can help, which will usually be within two working days. You can also use our dedicated contact number; however, you should be aware, the telephone line can be very busy, so email is the quickest way to make contact. Our telephone number is 01507 613044 and will operate between 9am and 5pm Monday to Thursday, then 10am to 4.30pm Friday.

 

The welfare of you and your family is important to us, if you are in need of urgent assistance please note:

• Adult Social Care – urgent social care intervention that cannot wait until the next working day: 01522 782155
• Adult Safeguarding – where an adult may be experiencing abuse or neglect. Please note: If you believe a crime has been committed or there is an immediate risk of danger, call the police on 999 or 101
• Children’s Services – immediate and significant risk of harm: 01522 782111, or if outside normal working hours: 01522 782333

 

The county council is the upper tier of local government, below which are seven district councils with responsibility for services such as housing, planning applications, council tax and refuge collection. 

Find your local council

The districts of Lincolnshire are listed below with their contact details. Each council has also established a dedicated single point of contact for all enquiries associated with the Homes for Ukraine scheme.

 

Boston Borough Council

Tel: 01205 314200
Website: www.mybostonuk.com
Email: Housing.Standards@boston.gov.uk

 

City of Lincoln Council

Tel: 01522 881188
Website: www.lincoln.gov.uk
Email: UkraineSPOC@lincoln.gov.uk

 

East Lindsey District Council

Tel: 01507 601111
Website: www.e-lindsey.gov.uk
Email: HousingStandards@e-lindsey.gov.uk

 

North Kesteven District Council

Tel: 01529 414155
Website: www.n-kesteven.gov.uk
Email: HomesforUkraine@n-kesteven.gov.uk

 

South Holland District Council

Tel: 01775 761161
Website: www.sholland.gov.uk
Email: Privatehousing@sholland.gov.uk

 

South Kesteven District Council

Tel: 01476 406080
Website: www.southkesteven.gov.uk
Email: UkraineSPOC@southkesteven.gov.uk

 

West Lindsey District Council

Tel: 01427 676676
Website: www.west-lindsey.gov.uk
Email: homesforukraine@west-lindsey.gov.uk

 

Where you are staying should be available for you for as long as you need a safe place to stay.  However, in exceptional circumstances where the arrangement has irretrievably broken down and you have no alternative options, the Homelessness Team at the council will be able to offer you information, advice and assistance.  Please use the links above to access the council that covers the area where you are currently staying.

 

Housing services

District Councils are responsible for housing services, including emergency homelessness situations. The table below contains the contact details for each district’s housing team, and an out-of-hours phone number should there be an emergency need for accommodation.

District Council	During Office Hours	Outside of Office Hours
Boston	Housing.dept@boston.gov.uk	01205 362151
City of Lincoln	HousingSolutions@lincoln.gov.uk	01522 534747
East Lindsey	housing.hub@e-lindsey.gov.uk	01507 601111
North Kesteven	housingoptions@n-kesteven.gov.uk	01529 308308
South Holland	housingoptions@sholland.gov.uk	01522 782235
South Kesteven	housingadvice@southkesteven.gov.uk	01476 590044
West Lindsey	home.choices@west-lindsey.gov.uk	01427 613960