Information for Sponsors/Hosts

Help someone fleeing Ukraine by sponsoring and hosting them in your home or offering self-contained accommodation: How you can help the people of Ukraine | GOV.WALES

We want to support residents wishing to volunteer to be sponsors - from holding information evenings for interested sponsors to supporting you when your guests arrive.

We hold the below host/guest friendly drop-in sessions in local libraries where you can get support and information:

Sponsors in Wales can call the free helpline (available 9am to 5pm, 7 days a week) on 0808 175 1508 for advice.

If for any reason you need to end the sponsorship arrangement early, sponsors should inform us as soon as possible.

UK Government Schemes

If you have registered on the UK Government's Homes for Ukraine Scheme, the UK Government Is dealing with your offer. Powys County Council will receive information on all the sponsors once the UK Government has processed these offers. Powys County Council will be in touch with you once we have received this.

Welsh Government Schemes

Home visits and DBS Checks

The Welsh Government requires home visits to be done to check your accommodation is suitable. The Council's Environmental Health and Social Services will carry out an initial home visit at a time that is convenient to you. If you are not an owner occupier i.e., you rent your home, please let the officer know when to contact you.

All sponsors and household members aged 16 years and above will require a new DBS check.

The local authority will determine which DBS check(s) (enhanced or basic) will be required in line with government guidance.

Sponsors will not be charged for these checks. Local authority will be available to support you with your DBS checks and will be on hand to discuss any concerns or queries you may have.

Household insurance

All host families should contact their household insurance provider to inform them that they are hosting Ukrainian nationals. Many insurers have agreed not to charge additional fees, but this could vary.

Payment

The council will provide an initial £200 per person cash payment to new arrivals and a £500 monthly "thank you" payment to you as a host. The monthly amount is limited to £500 per residential address, irrespective of the number of people being hosted.

For help with benefits, if required, you/your guests can access support from Powys CAB, and contact their Help to Claim service on 0800 024 1220. Callers will speak to an adviser trained in assisting people to start their Universal Credit claim. The adviser can conference call with translation services too.

Government Guidelines

Your local authority is responsible for:

Registering children with schools
Providing advice on family support services, such as help with childcare costs English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) classes.
Working with local health boards to signpost advice and referral pathways to specialist public health services as appropriate, for example for vaccinations or TB screening.
Advice on further support services such as initial stabilisation, counselling and mental health support, adult social care, and children's services should be provided as needed.
Arranging local Jobcentre Plus appointments for benefit assessments, including for emergency payments while any benefits are being arranged.

Health Information

The family will be able to register with the local GP. GPs should have been made aware of Ukrainian arrivals and should arrange to carry out, or arrange for, an 'enhanced' screening check and provide information about any necessary vaccinations, including Covid-19. In addition to registering with a GP, it is advisable for your guest/s to register with a dentist though it recognised that some dental practices may not have capacity for NHS patients.

In respect of mental health, it is likely that those arriving will be distressed and, possibly, in need of support. If you have concerns in this regard, then please contact your GP in the first instance.

Sane Ukraine - Peer/Supported Mental Health, a free to attend daily trauma and resilience meeting online for Ukrainian citizens to give them the opportunity to chat to people experiencing the same things. The sessions are 45 minutes long.

Driving in Wales

If your guest has brought a vehicle to Wales, and it is taxed and registered in Ukraine, they do not need to:

Declare the vehicles to customs, or
Pay any customs duty or import VAT on the vehicle.

This is allowed under the 'Temporary Admission (TA)' procedure. Under this, imported goods or belongings must not be altered (but can be repaired), and must be re-exported within a set time (normally 6 months). But Ukrainians who are in Wales for more than 6 months can apply for an extension (for up to 3 years).

To do this they must email ntis@hmrc.gov.uk and send them a copy of the Biometric Residence Permit, or any other evidence of permission to remain in the Wales.

More information on driving can be found here: driving in the UK

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