Financial help 

We will pay a grant of £200 per person through a code sent to your phone. You can exchange this for cash at a Post Office.  

Send an email to Ukrainian.Support@brighton-hove.gov.uk to confirm your name, date of birth and arrival date. We will send you the code once we have matched your email with the details we hold. 

Opening a bank account 

You can find advice on opening a bank account from Citizens Advice.  

Several online and high-street banks are offering accounts to Ukrainians. Some will be easier than others, so try again if the first one you go to is difficult to use. 

You can find up-to-date information on banks which are easiest to use from Citizens Advice.  

You will need a bank account quickly, so start the process as soon as you are ready. 

Benefits

Until you are able to support yourself, you will receive financial support from the government, known as ‘benefits’, to pay for your living expenses. Which benefits you receive will depend on your circumstances. Benefits might include:

  • Universal Credit – a payment for those of working age, to help with your living costs if you’re on a low income, you could be working (including self-employed or part-time) or out of work
  • Pension Credit – extra money to help with your living costs if you are over the age of 66 and on a low income, you can apply for Pension Credits online or by telephone
  • Disability benefits – extra money to help with additional costs if you have a long-term physical or mental health condition or disability
  • Carer’s Allowance – extra money if you care for someone for at least 35 hours a week
  • Child Benefit – extra money to help with the cost of raising a child

The department that deals with benefits is called the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). Local offices are referred to as Jobcentre Plus offices and they also assist people to find work.

Your local Jobcentre Plus will be able to: 

  • verify your identity for your Universal Credit claim 
  • help you with an advance payment 
  • register you with a National Insurance number (which you need for work) 

The Jobcentre Plus address is:  

  • Brighton Jobcentre Plus, 15 Queen Square, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 3FD

Phone your local Job Centre to check there are interpreters are available if you need one. They will also advise you on looking for work.  

Citizens Advice can help to apply for Universal Credit online or you can phone 0800 144 8 444. 

Universal Credit 

Universal Credit is a benefit paid to you each month if you do not have a job, cannot work or you’re on a low income. The amount you get depends on things like if you have a child or need help with housing costs. 

To claim Universal Credit, you will need a bank account and an email address. You will also need your passport or IS116. We’d recommend you start this process as soon as possible. If you’re not able to open a UK bank account you can still get benefits, but you’ll have to collect your benefits in person and take proof of identity with you.

You can apply for Universal Credit online. You can also phone the Universal Credit helpline on 0800 328 5644.

Working in the UK

When you find a job with a UK employer you’ll need to prove your right to work. To use the online service you’ll need to have a biometric residence permit (BRP) or a UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account. 

You can show your employer the visa in your passport, if your passport has not expired, until you get your BRP. 

If you do not have a passport and were given your visa on a form, you’ll need to get your BRP and use the online service. 

Your local Job Centre can advise you about transferring your qualifications, and support you with information on work choices and the local labour market. 

They can also direct you to information about paying taxes in the UK.

Getting a National Insurance number 

A National Insurance (NI) number is used to make sure a worker’s National Insurance contributions and tax are recorded against their name only. You might already have a National Insurance number if you applied for any benefits or have one on your BRP. 

If you do not have one, you need to apply for a National Insurance number to work in the UK.