Thank you very much for your offer to support people fleeing the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.
We'll do all we can to help you and your guest. We'll keep this webpage updated with the latest guidance as the situation develops.
If you can’t find the information you need here, send an email to Ukrainian.Support@brighton-hove.gov.uk.
Homes For Ukraine scheme extended
In recognition of their ongoing support amid the rising cost of living, all sponsors will receive an increased ‘thank you’ payment of £500 a month. Find out more about the 'thank you' payment.
The 'thank you’ payment has also been extended from 24 months to 3 years.
Guests who may not yet be ready to move into independent accommodation can stay in sponsorship for longer where sponsors are willing to extend arrangements.
Cost of living support for hosts
We greatly appreciate the generosity of our Homes for Ukraine sponsors.
Our Ukrainian Response Team works to support you and your guests with any concerns you might have.
We know the cost of living is affecting everyone. We understand that not all sponsors’ circumstances are the same. If you're concerned, contact our team:
- phone 01273 293 117 and choose option 2
- send an email to Ukrainian.support@brighton-hove.gov.uk
Our team will respond sensitively and flexibly to support you, based on your particular circumstances.
Home visits
We carry out home visits to check any potential safety issues in your property. You will be contacted directly by a member of the Brighton & Hove City Council's inspection team.
Visits are then completed every 6 months so we can check how the hosting arrangement is going.
Enhanced DBS check
If you're a host of someone under 18 or over 65, you will need an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.
You will soon receive an email from a company called FADV Online Disclosures. Please check your junk folder.
Contact us to give us the names, ages and email addresses of all other people in your household who are 16 or over. They will also need to apply for an EDBS check, even if they are only temporarily resident with you.
You will need to do this even if you have already applied for a check recently. It's free, so unlike the Basic DBS checks for other hosts, you will not need to be reimbursed. There's also an option for a paper process if you prefer.
You do not need to apply for this DBS check if you are signed up to the DBS ‘updating service’ or if your guests are living in separate self-contained accommodation. Please do let us know.
The process is simple to follow, click on the link in the email and follow the instructions. You will need a PIN number which will be included in the email.
Once you have completed the process online, the system generates a form for you to print.
If you don’t have access to a printer, we can print this for you. Send the form in an email to Ukrainian.Support@brighton-hove.gov.uk, and we can post it back to you.
Once printed take the form to a Post Office, along with the ID you've specified in the form that you own. The Post Office will check your original documents and scan your barcodes. There is no charge for this service.
Your result will be sent only to you personally, so please forward it to us by emailing Ukrainian.Support@brighton-hove.gov.uk.
Read our Homes for Ukraine Sponsorship scheme privacy notice.
Send an email to Ukrainian.Support@brighton-hove.gov.uk if you have any problems with this process.
‘Thank you’ payments
Once we've seen a copy of your clear DBS certificate and your home safety check has been completed and deemed satisfactory, we'll send you a declaration form to sign and process your ‘thank you’ monthly payments. Your 'thank you' payments will be paid 1 month in arrears.
You will be eligible to receive 'thank you' payments for up to 3 years of your guest’s stay in the UK. The payment is linked to your guests and lasts for 3 years from the time they first arrived in the UK, not the time they begin their stay in your property.
Any hosts who choose to charge guests rent will not qualify for the payments. However, you can ask your guest(s) for a contribution towards food and bills.
Open University course on Ukrainian language and culture
The Open University (OU) has launched a new free online course for people housing, caring for or working with Ukrainians in the UK.
The course focuses on Ukrainian culture and language and has been developed specifically for UK residents hosting refugees, and service providers working with people who have arrived from Ukraine.
Latest information
We'll keep this webpage updated with the latest relevant information.
A team of researchers from the Institute for Research into Superdiversity at the University of Birmingham has put together an online Homes for Ukraine toolkit of useful information for guests and hosts.
We’ve also published detailed information for your Ukrainian guests and updates on our supporting Ukraine webpage.