Homes for Ukraine sponsors

You will receive an appointment to to inspect the accommodation you have offered

Appointments may be outside of usual hours on evenings and weekends.

They are prioritised where the Government tells us that a visa has been issued. Visas which are pending are booked next.

All accommodation is different and while there is no set expectation, your accommodation needs to be free from serious health and safety hazards. You should make sure your home is safe for your guests and is in a suitable condition for them to move into.

Consider how many people you can accommodate

Make sure they have sufficient space. Two people should not be in one room unless they are:

• adult cohabiting partners
• a parent and child
• two siblings of the same gender if aged over 10
• two siblings regardless of gender if aged under 10.

Individuals who didn't previously know each other should not be given the same room.

Other property checks that we do

We will also check that the property:

• has adequate kitchen and bathroom space and access to drinking water;
• has a working smoke detector on each floor and other fire safety precautions suitable for the building - for example, fire doors or escape routes as appropriate;
  • More information: Make your home safe from fire
• has a working carbon monoxide detector in any room containing a solid fuel burning appliance - for example, a coal fire or wood burning stove;
• has sufficient heating to keep the property at a comfortable temperature;
• has safe gas appliances, fittings and flues and that you have undertaken a gas safety check within the last year;
  • More information: Gas safety - landlords and letting agents
• has safe and working electrics, which a qualified electrician can help with if you are unsure;
• is almost entirely free of damp or mould;
• has doors and windows at entry level that lock properly;
• is easy and safe to move around in, including any garden and other outdoor space your guests may use.

If your property does not meet any of these expectations, we will give you advice and guidance on how to fix this as quickly as possible.

We take all steps necessary to make sure people arriving from the Ukraine are coming to safe homes in Kirklees. We expect most people to be acting in good faith, but we must ensure we do all we can where there might be a risk.

What we do:

• share names, addresses and date of birth of potential sponsors with West Yorkshire Police
• do a DBS check
• check our internal records for things like people barred from working with vulnerable adults or children and other systems that may indicate a risk of harm.

Everyone hosting children will receive a visit from our Early Help and Support Team to discuss their hosting arrangements.

If we have any safeguarding concerns or queries, we will discuss them with you. There may be circumstances where we cannot recommend you as a host. We have a duty of care to make sure, as best we can, that people coming from Ukraine will be safe here.

If you have an existing DBS please let us know on the form we sent with the covering email so that we can check it.

We will need to check original ID documents as part of the DBS check, such as a photo driving license, birth certificate and passport.

We may still be required to do a further enhanced DBS or apply for an updated DBS if the guidance requires us to. We will pay the cost of the application.

Basic DBS checks

We do a basic DBS check on all adults in your household if the accommodation is self-contained or only adults without specific vulnerabilities are coming into it.

Enhanced DBS checks

We do an enhanced DBS check on all on all people in your household over 16 years of age if:

• children under the age of 18 are going to be accommodated. This includes a check of the list of people barred from working with children.
• an adult is going to be accommodated who is vulnerable due to illness, disability or age and has needs which the sponsor will have to provide support for.This includes a check of the list of people barred from working with adults.

You will receive a call from an Early Help Consultant (family support) to arrange to visit your home to meet you and your guests. They will:

• check that everything is ok
• check your guest's ID
• provide £200 per guest payment including children to support them financially until benefits are applied for. Each payment will be on a prepayment card.
  • Please return the prepayment card to the council once it has been used.
  • You can return it to the Welcome Club at Huddersfield Ukrainian Club.

The visit from Early Support can advise you on basic home safety if you are not used to having young children in your home. We will provide you with some good websites to visit for advice.

You will receive a call from an Adult Services social worker to arrange to visit your home to meet you and your guests. They will:

• check that everything is ok
• check your guest's ID
• provide £200 per guest payment including children to support them financially until benefits are applied for. Each payment will be on a prepayment card.
  • Please return the prepayment card to the council once it has been used.
  • You can return it to the Welcome Club at Huddersfield Ukrainian Club.

• Welcome: a guide for Ukrainians arriving in the UK
• Welcome: a guide for Ukrainians arriving in the UK (Ukrainian version)
• Welcome: a guide for Ukrainians arriving in the UK (Russian version)

What to do when your guest arrives tells you how you will receive this.

This 'thank you' payment is available to sponsors, while the guest remains in the accommodation you have provided.

It is a tax-free payment.

• It is limited to one monthly payment per residential address, regardless of the number of individuals sponsored.
• It is administered by Kirklees Council and will be based on full pre-arrival checks taking place and your guest arriving with you.
• It is paid for up to two years.

First year of sponsorship

• The thank you payment is £350 per month.
• We will agree a payment date once safeguarding and housing checks are complete.

After 12 months

• The thank you payment rises to £500 per month.
• The rise begins 12 months from the date the guest arrived in the UK.

More information

Thank you payments

• Your Council Tax bill will be calculated as if there were no Ukrainian refugees living in your home. There will be no change to your Council Tax bill.
• Council Tax Reduction and any other discount or exemption you receive on your Council Tax bill will not change.

Your benefits

Your benefits will not be affected.

Benefits for your guests

Even when people speak English and are keen to work, finding it could take some time, so arranging benefits quickly is important.

Jobcentre Plus

Access to public services, work and benefits can be arranged at your local Jobcentre Plus. They will help you find out which benefits your guest may be able to access.

Work coaches in Jobcentre Plus are on hand to support people making claims online.

Find your local Jobcentre Plus

Telephone applications

Translation services are availabl e to help new arrivals with telephone applications:

What benefit claims may include

• Universal Credit - a payment for those of working age, to help with living costs on a low income. They could be working (including self-employed or part time) or out of work.
• Pension Credit - extra money to help with living costs if over the State Pension age of 66 and on a low income.
• Disability benefits - extra money to help with additional costs for those who have a long term physical or mental health condition or disability.
• Carer's Allowance - extra money if they care for someone for at least 35 hours a week.
• Child Benefit - extra money to help with the cost of raising a child.

Your guest(s) will need to open a UK bank account.

To open a UK bank account they will usually need to show proof of ID such as:

• passport
• biometric residency permit
• driver's licence
• a recognised identity card.

Some UK banks ask for proof of address although the Government is encouraging them to relax this requirement.

Contact us if you need help with this for your guest.

Your guest can apply online. They will need to give a copy of their passport and proof that they have the right to work.

Apply for a National Insurance number

Your guest can apply online. They will need to give a copy of their passport and proof that they have the right to work.

Apply for a National Insurance number

There is no financial support from government for those arriving through the Family Visa scheme, but you are welcome to access all our welfare support and help.

Financial support and debt advice tells you about welfare support and much more.

The Sanctuary Clothing project provides free second-hand clothes and items. They are in Queensgate Market in Huddersfield.

Saving Ukraine 2022 has a pop-up shop in Halifax which offers everything from toiletries, toys and clothing to cosmetics and bedding.

Opening times: Every Friday 9am - 3pm

Saving Ukraine 2022

Council schemes are available to support you. They can help to break down any barriers you may face when moving into employment, progressing your career and developing your work and life skills.

Adult education and skills Digital access and skills training

There is support to start looking for employment locally through Job Centre Plus. Programmes in Kirklees like Works Better can provide additional support.

Find your local Jobcentre Plus Works Better

If your guest has a professional qualification, recognition of it depends on their sector of work.

ENIC, the UK national agency for international qualifications and skills, will provide an overview of which qualifications are equivalent. Some professions may require formal evidence of the qualification transfer.

Support is available from Works Better.

ENIC: Statement Of Comparability Works Better

The International New Arrivals Team (INAT) provide support to apply for nursery and school places.

Places are not prioritized for those arriving from the Ukraine but the team will support you to identify local places. They also liaise with school and support children to start if needed.

Tell us what support is required

If you prefer to register children at school or nursery yourself

• Admissions leads you through finding a school and applying for a place.
• Help looking for childcare tells you about the brokerage service and how to apply for help finding a nursery or other childcare.

Free school meals and school transport

The International New Arrivals Team (INAT) provide support to apply for free school meals and bus passes.

Tell us what support is required

If you prefer to arrange free school meals and transport yourself

• Free school meals tells you how to apply for them and what happens after you have applied.
• School transport tells you about eligibility criteria and how to apply for a free school bus pass.

School uniforms

The Uniform Exchange provide new and used school uniforms.

Uniform Exchange

The International New Arrivals Team (INAT) can provide you with support and guidance.

Tell us what support is required

If you prefer to arrange support yourself

Kirklees SEND Local Offer provides advice and information to parents and carers about special educational needs provision. The website includes a translation option.

If you suspect that a child or young person is being harmed or is at risk of being harmed then you have a duty to report it immediately.

Concerns about a child

Phone 999 if you are ever concerned that a child is in immediate danger.

If your guest doesn't speak any English it is likely to take them some time to learn. Try not to rely too much on technology for all interpreting. Instead, help the family to communicate in English:

• Practice common words and phrases.
• Point at things you are trying to talk about.
• Talk slowly, don't talk louder to try and make yourself understood.

• The council, health services and Police should use translators when working with people with limited or no English.
• At times there may be limited access to interpreters that speak Ukrainian or Russian.
• If you book health and other appointments, always mention if your guest doesn't speak English so the service can plan for the appointment.

Google translate

Google Translate is free to use. You can translate text, documents and pages on websites.

Phone apps

• Tarjim.ly is a phone app that provides translation services to refugees either in writing, via voice memos or video calls. Services are provided by volunteers across the world. You should advise the family you are supporting to make use of this.
• ABBYY TextGrabber translates text from an images.

Services in Kirklees

• There is a team of voluntary Welcome Mentors. They are recruiting Ukrainian and Russian speakers. Contact us to find out more.
• Kirklees Community Language Service offers a range of services. There is a cost for using their services.

Phone-based services

There is a cost for using these services.

• Clear Voice Interpreting Services
• thebigword
• LanguageLine

It is important that your guest is supported and encouraged to learn English. Even if they can speak some English, it is also important that they are supported to read and write English as well.

Learning English will help people integrate, access services, work, learn and stay safe.

This Way for English (TW4E)

This Kirklees program will be accessible via the Ukrainian Club and in other venues such as Batley and Dewsbury Library.

TW4E will:

• assess individuals' English level
• Refer or signpost them to appropriate ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) courses
• Refer them to other organisations or programs to help integrate them into the local community.

Tell us what support is required

It is very important that your guest registers with a GP as soon as possible.

• Contact the GP beforehand to ask what documentation you need to register them.
• Identification should not be needed although practices prefer to have it to check the correct spelling of names.
• Contact us if you have any concerns.

Register with your own GP

• Your guest could register at your own GP practice. We can help with this, or you can support your guest.
• Contact us to tell us which GP practice they have registered at.
• We will then make sure the practice is aware of any additional health needs support your guest may have including additional support if needed with mental health.
• The Social Prescribing Link Worker linked to the practice will help with this.

Find GP practices near you

If your GP practice doesn't have the capacity to take on any new patients:

Find a local service

Find a dentist Access an NHS dentist in an emergency or out of hours

Routine vaccinations

Once your guest has registered with a GP they should get up to date with routine vaccinations.

• Find out about the vaccines that at risk people with health conditions, pregnant women, infants, children and older adults need.
• Find out about the diseases that vaccines will protect them from.
• Find out about where to get assistance from health services and how to use them.
• Information is available in Ukrainian and Russian.

Immunisation information for migrants

• Migrant health immunisation (Ukrainian)
• Migrant health immunisation (Russian)

Measles, mumps and rubella vaccinations

• MMR for all
• MMR for all (Ukrainian)

Tuberculosis (TB) vaccinations for babies

• TB, BCG and your baby
• TB, BCG and your baby (Ukrainian)

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COVID-19 vaccinations and information

Guidance for adults

• COVID-19 vaccination: guide for adults
• COVID-19 vaccination guide for adults (Ukrainian)
• COVID-19 vaccination guide for adults (Russian)

Easy read guidance for adults

Includes guidance on getting vaccinated, what to expect after vaccination and advice for pregnant and breastfeeding women. Guidance is available in Ukrainian and Russian.

• COVID-19 vaccination: easy-read leaflets

Guidance for people with a weakened immune system

• COVID-19 vaccination: for people with a weakened immune system
• COVID-19 vaccine for those with a weakened immune system (Ukrainian)
• COVID-19 vaccine for those with a weakened immune system (Russian)

Guidance for children aged 12 to 17 years

• COVID-19 vaccination: resources for children and young people aged 12 to 17 years
• COVID-19 vaccination guide for young people (Ukrainian)
• COVID-19 vaccination guide for young people (Russian)

Guidance for parents and carers of children aged 5 to 11 years

• COVID-19 vaccination: resources for children aged 5 to 11 years
• COVID-19 vaccination guide for parents of children aged 5 to 11 years (Ukrainian)
• COVID-19 vaccination guide for parents of children aged 5 to 11 years (Russian)

Adults and children have been through an extremely traumatic time. The impact may not be obvious straight away, but as people settle and have time to process their experiences this may become more obvious.

If your guest is in crisis

Phone 999 or take your guest to Accident & Emergency if safe to do so.

Other 24 hour mental health help is available:

Urgent help with mental health

If your guest isn't in crisis but needs support

They should have a conversation in confidence with their GP.

Mental health guidance is available:

Mental health support

Support for children and parents

Try and have a conversation with the parents and ask for their consent for you to get support from the council.

The focus will be on supporting the family and young people and you can reassure your guests that we are there to help.

• Advice and support for you and your family tells you how to request support online.
• Get support from Early Help Consultants (family support) at the Welcome Club at Huddersfield Ukrainian Club.
• Phone 01484 456848 to speak with someone at Kirklees Duty and Advice Team. They will discuss your concerns and direct you to the right team in the council.

Specialist services for refugees

• Solace: Kirklees and Calderdale offers pecialist mental health support for asylum seekers and refugees
• Northorpe Hall
• WomenCentre is working with us to support women arriving into Kirklees from the Ukraine

If you are concerned that an adult guest doesn't seem able to look after themself:

• Have a discussion with them to see if they give consent for you to talk to a service about what support is available.
• Encourage them to talk to their GP.

Contact adult social care services

Kirklees is a very diverse district. There is a range of places to buy food from all over the world in the town centres of Batley, Dewsbury and Huddersfield and areas such as Ravensthorpe and Birkby.

If you need help finding any places at all then please do some along to Huddersfield Ukrainian Club. Welcome Mentors can help your guest find local places to go for cultural food and the club can also advise.

Tell us what support is required

Find local places of worship on a map:

Where's my nearest

We may also be able to advise.

Tell us what support is required

The two existing schemes are the Ukraine Family scheme and Homes for Ukraine scheme.

Advice about bringing other family members to Kirklees is immigration advice and requires a specialist. Contact Kirklees Citizens Advice & Law Centre to get advice on what is best or possible.

Kirklees Citizens Advice & Law Centre

Your guest can bring their pet dog, cat or ferret without it going into quarantine or isolation if it has:

• been vaccinated against rabies and had a blood test 30 days later to confirm the vaccine worked, and waited 3 months after the blood test to travel to the UK
• been microchipped
• a pet passport or health certificate issued before you left Ukraine
• had tapeworm treatment.

They need a licence to bring their pet to the UK if it:

• does not meet all these requirements
• meets the requirements, but they do not have proof that it does
• has been issued with an EU pet passport since leaving Ukraine.

Bringing your pet to the UK from Ukraine

If you want to go on holiday while accommodating guests in your home, council services and support are available five days a week and there will be groups and activities in your local community that they can get involved in.

We don't offer additional support beyond what is already available.

• Children under 5 travel for free when accompanied by a fare-paying passenger on most buses, and all trains displaying the Metro symbol in West Yorkshire.
• Children aged 5 to 10 pay discounted fare on most buses and all trains displaying the Metro symbol in West Yorkshire, including Metro school buses.
• Under-19s can apply for a photocard which gives them discounted travel on most buses and all trains in West Yorkshire.
  • Apply at a bus station travel centre.
  • Take proof of identity and age, such as a passport and proof of residence in West Yorkshire.
• Under-19s do not need a photocard to get discounted travel on buses if they look under 19 or if they are in school uniform. If they look over 19 or they want discounted travel on trains in West Yorkshire, they should apply for a photocard.
• People aged 19-25 or students can apply for a 19-25 or Student PhotoCard which enables them to pre-load discounted bus or bus and rail tickets. This gives them unlimited bus and train travel throughout West Yorkshire.
  • Apply at a bus station travel centre.
  • Take proof of identity and age, such as a passport.

Bus Station Travel Centres in West Yorkshire

Senior Travel Pass for Older People

Blind or Disabled Person's Travel Pass

Let your guest know in plenty of time so they can make other arrangements.

If your guest wants to remain in Kirklees they need to contact the council as soon as possible. They have access to public funds during their time in the UK, and at the end of their sponsorship will be able to rent a property like anyone else.

If they need further support, we can support them to find alternative accommodation.

Tell us what support is required

Guests will be able to access all benefits for the three years that they are allowed to remain. These include Housing Benefit and Local Housing Allowance where there are housing costs.

Demand for social housing in the Kirklees is high and many more people want social housing than the number of homes available. Being registered does not mean they will be successful and waiting times are lengthy.

Joining the housing register Apply for a property Owning, buying or renting a property Homelessness

We will help guests to find alternative accommodation. This could be help with a sponsor rematch, support to find private rented accommodation or access to hostels.