Guidance for sponsors

How to become a sponsor

You can register your interest in the Homes for Ukraine Scheme (GOV.UK) if you are able to provide at least six months' stable accommodation. This can be anything from an empty room to an unoccupied home, that is safe, heated, free from health hazards, and gives your guests adequate access to bathroom and kitchen facilities.

Read the Government’s Homes for Ukraine sponsor guidance.

Finding someone to sponsor

If you do not know anyone you could sponsor, there are charities, faith groups or local community organisations who are making connections between individuals. The Government has published a list of voluntary and community organisations running schemes to help match people coming to the UK from Ukraine with a sponsor, and frequently asked questions and answers on linking with a guest.

Once you are matched with a Ukraine citizen or family, and the visa application is completed, the Home Office passes your information to the County Council.

Download our poster showing the 6 steps to becoming a sponsor

Your home visit

The County Council is working closely with a number of organisations to arrange visits to sponsors’ homes. Visits include an accommodation review, safety and wellbeing checks, and Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks. The Government has made DBS checks a mandatory part of the safeguarding process local authorities must follow to ensure that people and families arriving from Ukraine are safe. (The DBS checks are not applicable for parents or legal guardians sponsoring their children as of 31 January 2025.)

If you become a sponsor, you will be contacted by the County Council, usually by phone, to arrange a visit, as soon as possible after we receive formal notification from Government.

More than one official representative will visit your home to ensure all the necessary checks can be undertaken as quickly as possible. You will be advised in advance what documentation you need to have ready.

Home visit checks include:

  • Does the property appear to be in a reasonable state of cleanliness and repair?
  • Are there appropriate sleeping arrangements for guests?
  • Is there any indication of overcrowding?
  • Is there an adequate kitchen and bathroom?
  • Does the property have heating?
  • Are gas appliances safe and gas safety checked?
  • Are the electrics safe and working?
  • Is there evidence of excessive damp and/or mould?
  • Are there locks on windows and doors at entry level?
  • Can you move around safely in the property?

Fire Safety:

  • Is there a working smoke detector on each floor?
  • Is the property fire safe in the opinion of the Fire and Rescue Service?
  • Is there a working carbon monoxide detector in any room containing a solid fuel burning appliance (e.g. coal fire or wood burning stove etc)?

Health and wellbeing

To support Ukrainian guests, all vulnerable adults, children and young people will be assessed for any immediate physical and mental health needs as part of the first contact visit. Arrangements for the appropriate follow-up support will then be put in place by health and care professionals.

Financial support for you

Unless you are in a close family relationship with your guest, you will receive a monthly Thank You payment paid in arrears direct to your bank account. The County Council will write to you to let you know how we will gather your information to process your payments, which start once all relevant home visit checks are completed, and your guests have arrived.

Read the Sponsor payments - common questions and answers which includes the monthly Thank You payment amounts.

It is your responsibility to inform the County Council when sponsorship arrangements end, or if circumstances change.

Financial support for your guest

The Government has set this as an interim payment of £200 per person arriving from Ukraine to help with everyday living expenses. Ukrainian guests will be issued with pre-loaded payment cards, given out during a second home visit which takes place once your guests have arrived.

The Government has confirmed that guests arriving under the scheme will also be able to apply for benefits and to seek and take up employment while staying in England.

Supporting your guests

Several Welcome guides are available on our ‘Guidance for Ukrainian guests’ webpage  to help your Ukrainian guests access medical services, education, community support and state benefits etc.

You can help your guest by reading through this information to help signpost your guest to the right support.

How we manage personal data shared with us: privacy notice

Read the County Council privacy notice which sets out how we use and keep any personal data we hold about sponsors.