Support for Ukraine

How the East Riding is responding to the war in Ukraine and the refugee crisis and what you can do to help.

Can I offer a home to Ukrainian Nationals?

A new Government scheme, called Homes for Ukraine, offers a route to those who want to come to the UK where someone is willing to provide them with a home. If you are able to offer somebody a home, you will be their 'sponsor'.

Sponsors should provide accommodation for as long as they are able, but there is a minimum expectation of 6 months.
Read more about the full responsibilities expected of a sponsor on GOV.UK.

Full information can be found on the GOV.UK website:

Homes for Ukraine - GOV.UK

You can also read a Government press release from 14 March about the Homes for Ukraine scheme on GOV.UK.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you're considering becoming a sponsor, the Homes for Ukraine website has the latest information about this scheme:

Frequently Asked Questions - Homes for Ukraine - GOV.UK

Need to ask a question?

If you have any questions about this scheme, you will need to contact the Government directly:

Home Office
2 Marsham Street
London
SW1P 4DF

Email: correspondence@levellingup.gov.uk

Tel: 030 3444 0000

I’ve registered my interest to host a family. What happens now?

Finding guests to host

There is no formal national or local process to match host households with Ukrainian guests. You will need to find a guest to host, either through social media or through local charities, faith groups or other voluntary organisations. There are lots of organisations that can be found on the internet who can help find a match for you.

Some of these include:

  • Homes for Ukraine - Managed by ‘Reset’, a community sponsorship scheme since 2018
  • Refugees at Home - A charity connecting refugees and hosts online
  • Shelter 4 Ukraine - A Ukrainian-run service which registers hosts and refugees
  • EU4UA - A new website created to help Ukrainians find welcoming hosts.

Please note: the council does not support or is affiliated with any of these services. You must do your own checks to ensure you are happy with your match.

Applying for a visa

Once you have found and agreed a match, you will need to help them submit a UK visa application:

Apply for a UK Visa - GOV.UK

What happens next?

When the visa application has been submitted, the details will be passed to us as the relevant local authority.

We will then get in touch with you to arrange:

  • a criminal records check - known as a DBS check
  • an accommodation check - to check you can offer your guests a safe and warm home.

We will also provide advice on benefits applications, school admissions, and access to healthcare and related support services. This information will be provided once your matching process and necessary checks are complete.

We will also carry out welfare checks via a third-party provider, Refugee Council. Further information relating to this can be found in the privacy notice for Support for Ukraine.

If I offer a family a home, will I lose my council tax single person discount?

Council tax discounts will not be affected if you sponsor and host a Ukrainian household in your home. The Government are offering a £350 a month ‘thank you’ payment to all sponsors – this will not affect any council tax discounts.

Can I still host a family if I rent my house from a private landlord?

If you rent, you may have something in your tenancy agreement that says you should get the permission of your landlord before you host a guest. You will need to check the terms in your tenancy agreement that refer to lodgers or subtenants, as these will also apply to these sponsorship arrangements.

If you are uncertain about what your tenancy agreement requires, speak to your landlord or letting agent, or you can get free advice from Citizens Advice or Shelter.

Citizens Advice

Shelter

Can I still host a family if I rent my house from the council?

If you rent a property from the council you do not need permission to take in a Ukrainian guest as long as it does not make your home statutorily overcrowded.

You do need to tell us if you are taking in a guest, and when they are due to arrive, and you will need to follow the other steps set out above as part of the Homes for Ukraine scheme.

How do I find out if my home would be statutorily overcrowded if I took in refugees?

To find out please contact the Housing Support team who will be able to advise. Overcrowding depends on the number of rooms or the total floorspace of the property.

Email: housing.services@eastriding.gov.uk

Tel: (01482) 396301

The information is also available in the Council Housing Allocations Policy (Appendix C):

Council Housing Allocation Policy (pdf 1mb)

How can I support my family who live in Ukraine?

The government has announced details of a Ukraine Family Scheme, which allows applicants to join family members or extend their stay in the UK.

It is free to apply and applicants will be able to live, work and study in the UK and access public funds.

To apply to the Ukraine Family Scheme you must:

  • be applying to join or accompany your UK-based family member; and
  • be Ukrainian or the immediate family member of a Ukrainian national who is applying to the scheme; and
  • have been residing in Ukraine on or immediately before 1 January 2022 (including those who have now left Ukraine).

You can apply if you’ve already arrived in the UK and meet the requirements above.

More information can be found on GOV.UK:

Apply for a Ukraine Family Scheme Visa - GOV.UK

Please note: the Family Scheme is different to the Homes for Ukraine scheme. If you or a family member have arrived in the UK through the Family Scheme you are not automatically entitled to welcome payments or thank you payments, although Ukrainian nationals will be able to access Universal Credit.

How can I offer support to the people of Ukraine?

The Charity Commission and Fundraising Regulator have urged the public to ‘give safely’ to registered charities as people make generous donations to causes helping to support and protect people affected by the invasion of Ukraine.

As the conflict and ensuing humanitarian situation in Ukraine continues to escalate, it is vital that charitable donations of goods and money reach their intended causes. UK charities are pivotal to a collective response to this crisis.

Donating to Disasters Emergency Committee

The Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC), a coalition of 15 leading UK charities, has launched its collective appeal to provide emergency aid and rapid relief to civilians suffering during the conflict.

Many other registered charities are also helping to provide vital life-saving services, like water, food and healthcare, to those caught up in the conflict, including those forced to flee to neighbouring countries.

By giving to a registered, regulated charity, like the Disasters Emergency Committee, the public can have assurance that their funds will be accounted for in line with the charity law framework. Established charities with experience of responding to disasters are usually best placed to reach victims on the ground.

Donate to the DEC Ukraine Humanitarian appeal now

Donating to other fundraising initiatives

For members of the public initiating their own informal fundraising appeals that are not linked to established registered charities, your selfless efforts are to be commended and your support is greatly appreciated. However please be aware of the ongoing responsibilities associated with overseeing and managing funds and ensure they are applied in line with donors’ wishes.

People looking to donate to causes working in Ukraine and neighbouring countries, should make a few simple checks before giving:

  • Check the charity’s name and registration number on GOV.UK (most charities with an annual income of £5,000 or more must be registered, and you can use the advanced search function to identify charities working in specific regions and countries)
  • Make sure the charity is genuine before giving any financial information
  • Be careful when responding to emails or clicking on links within them
  • Contact or find out more online about the charity that you’re seeking to donate to or work with to understand how they are spending their funds
  • Look out for the Fundraising Badge on charity fundraising materials. This is the logo which shows that a charity has committed to fundraise in line with the Code of Fundraising Practice.

What is the council's stance on the war in Ukraine?

East Riding of Yorkshire Council say: "All elected East Riding of Yorkshire Councillors are deeply saddened by the act of senseless and unwarranted war being waged by Russia upon Ukraine.

"Collectively and on behalf of our respective political groups on the council, we condemn such horrendous acts of war and together call for all hostilities and blood shed to cease immediately and for the withdrawal of all invading forces from Ukraine. As a council we will support those who need it most at such a distressing time.

"We are supporting Ukraine and are prepared to offer all the support we can within our current powers, including helping those who may have to leave their home country in order to find safety in our area.

"Our collective thoughts and prayers are with the people of Ukraine as they fight through this difficult and unbearable time.

"We welcome our fellow councils to do the same."

What advice is available regarding international trade with Russia or Ukraine?

In light of the current situation, businesses are advised to contact the government’s Export Support Service helpline with any questions about trade with Russia or Ukraine. Questions can be submitted to GOV.UK:

Online: Ask the export support team a question – GOV.UK (replies within three working days).

Tel: 0300 303 8955 (calls are being answered daily between 8am and 10pm).

You can find all the latest information on GOV.UK and major changes will be tweeted out via the usual government feeds.

The following links are to the Foreign & Commonwealth Office travel advice pages for Russia and Ukraine, and to the guidance on the new sanctions regime:

Local impacts to business

If there are any particular local impacts of the current conflict, the Hull and East Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) is keen to capture this information in its regular returns to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

Businesses can let the LEP know about impacts by emailing growthhub@heylep.com

How can I contact the council to make an enquiry?

If you have any queries regarding support for Ukraine, please email us and we will get back to you as soon as possible:

Email: supportforukraine@eastriding.gov.uk

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