Homes for Ukraine

If you want to offer a home to people fleeing Ukraine, you can register your interest in taking part in the Homes for Ukraine scheme.

You can offer to host someone:

  • applying to come to the UK (you would be their ‘sponsor’)
  • already living in the UK

This service is for potential hosts in the UK who have not yet been matched with a Ukrainian guest.

Once you have registered your interest with the Home Office and your application has been processed, your details are passed to us and we will be in touch to arrange a DBS check and also a housing inspection.

Guest accommodation

All accommodation will be 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 that it is in a suitable condition. You should also consider how many people you can accommodate so 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 is aged under 10

Individuals who did not previously know each other should not be given the same room.

Further to this, we ask that accommodation:

  • be kept clean and in a reasonable state
  • have adequate kitchen and bathroom space
  • have access to drinking water
  • have a working smoke detector on each floor of the property and other fire safety precautions suitable for the building, for example, fire doors or escape routes as appropriate
  • have a working carbon monoxide detector in any room containing a solid fuel burning appliance, for example, a coal fire or wood burning stove
  • have sufficient heating to keep the property at a comfortable temperature
  • have safe gas appliances, fittings and flues and have undertaken a Gas Safety check within the last year
  • have safe and working electrics, which a qualified electrician can help you with if you are unsure
  • be almost entirely free of damp or mould
  • have doors and windows at entry level that lock properly
  • be easy and safe to move around in, without excessively steep staircases that may cause harm

The government has published sponsor guidance that outlines important information including the responsibilities of sponsors and how sponsors may support their guests.

Sponsorship break-down

There may be some cases where the sponsor and guest relationship breaks down and the guest is homeless or at risk of homelessness. If this may be the case, please contact us as soon as possible.

Our statutory homelessness duties will apply in this instance, or where possible, a new match may be explored.