Homes for Ukraine
Sponsors of Ukrainian guests on a Homes for Ukraine visa are eligible for a monthly payment from the UK government as a thank you for hosting.
Sponsors will receive £350 a month during the first 12 months of their guests’ stay. This increases to £500 once the guest has been in the UK for 12 months, in order to help sponsors who are able to continue hosting for longer. This includes when a sponsor or guest has been rematched, even if it is the sponsor’s first time hosting. The payment, which is made in arrears, is optional and sponsors must apply to receive payment by completing this application form.
‘Thank you’ payments are available to sponsors for the duration of a guest’s Homes for Ukraine visa permission – up to 36 months for sponsors of guests on a 3 year Homes for Ukraine visa, and up to 18 months for guests on the new 18 month Homes for Ukraine visa (which came into effect on 19 February 2024). This is intended to support existing hosts, and to help new hosts to offer support to Ukrainians in the UK who may need a new place to stay, and to give guests who may need it more time to get ready to move into independent accommodation.
The payments will be tax free and should not affect the sponsor’s entitlement to benefits or council tax status.
The following criteria apply to all ‘thank you’ payments:
• Sponsors must not be charging their guests rent
• DBS Checks, property checks and welfare visits must have been successfully completed
• Sponsors who have a close family relationship with their guest are not eligible to apply
• Sponsors must inform the council when their guest exits the property, or is absent for a period of greater than one month
By applying for a ‘thank you’ payment, you are confirming that you understand and meet these requirements. If you knowingly apply for a payment you are not eligible for, this would be treated as fraud. Any money paid would be claimed back and we would be required to report it to MHCLG.
Further information is available at Lancashire County Council's Homes for Ukraine scheme and Support for sponsors pages, and in our Homes for Ukraine factsheet
How to apply for a Homes for Ukraine thank you payment
This scheme is designed to allow sponsors in the Homes for Ukraine Scheme to claim a monthly ‘thank you’ payment for hosting guests at a property. A claim form is required only to be submitted at the start of the arrangement, not each month. If one sponsorship ends and a new one commences, a new claim may be required.
The property where the guests from Ukraine reside must be within Lancaster City Council district. If the property is not within Lancaster City Council district you should apply to the council in the area in which the property is located.
Once the form is completed the council will undertake a number of checks to validate the claim. If necessary, the council will contact the sponsor to provide additional information. Payment will only be made after the council has undertaken the necessary steps to validate the claim, a satisfactory visit by a local council housing officer has taken place and Lancashire County Council has confirmed the eligibility of the sponsor and guests under the Homes for Ukraine Scheme.
In some circumstances, the sponsorship scheme may be deemed to be inappropriate. In such cases, funding will end immediately.
Sponsors are required to notify the council of any changes in relation to the claim, such as some or all of the guests leaving the property, etc. Updates should be sent by email to the Homes for Ukraine team at Lancashire County Council at homesforukraine@lancashire.gov.uk. Failure to provide the updates in a timely manner may lead to the recovery of any sums paid.
The council reserves the right to recover any sums paid in error for whatever reason under the scheme. Any cases of fraud identified will be treated under the council’s fraud policy and may lead to a criminal conviction.
Once the claim is approved payments will be made each month in arrears on or around the anniversary of the guest arriving at the property. Lancaster City Council and Lancashire County Council will be contacting sponsors and guests at regular intervals. If contact or lack of contact indicates that the sponsorship is not working as intended, payments will be suspended until the matter is resolved. Payments will only be made to a valid UK bank account via BACS transfer.
In addition to the requirements to inform us around changes in details relating to the guest, sponsors must inform us if they move address or their bank details change etc, by email to publicprotection@lancaster.gov.uk
Last updated: 31 October 2024