Homes for Ukraine: local authority guidance

In support of Wales’ ambition to become a ‘Nation of Sanctuary’, we continue to support people arriving from Ukraine with suitable accommodation when they arrive and access to a wrap-around service, providing safety and access to public services.

This guidance provides information for local authorities on their critical roles in the delivery of the Homes for Ukraine scheme in Wales.

The UK Government’s Homes for Ukraine scheme relies on individuals in the UK, with at least 6 months leave to remain, acting as a sponsor and matching with people displaced from Ukraine.

The Welsh Government’s Super Sponsor route offered a quick and safe route for displaced people from Ukraine to come to the UK. It removed the need for applicants to be matched with a host before being given permission travel to the UK.

The Welsh Government super sponsor scheme opened in March 2022 and was paused for new applicants in June 2022. 

The UK Government opened applications for the Ukraine Permission Extension on 4 February 2025, which provides eligible applicants with permission to remain in the UK for up to an additional 18 months.

This guidance outlines the role of councils in supporting Ukrainian guests who:

• arrive under the Welsh Government’s Super Sponsor route
• match to hosts in Wales through the Homes for Ukraine scheme
• transition to the Ukraine Permission Extension

This guidance does not cover displaced people coming to Wales through the Ukraine Family Scheme.

Definitions

"Super Sponsor” refers to the Welsh Government in its role under the Welsh Government’s Super Sponsor route.

“Host” or “hosts” refers to an individual, group or organisation approved to accommodate an individual or household from Ukraine under the “Homes for Ukraine” sponsorship scheme, or, has agreed to participate in the Welsh Government’s Super Sponsor route. Under the Homes for Ukraine Scheme a person individually matched may be referred to as a “sponsor” or “sponsors”.

“Guest” or “guests” refers to an individual or household previously resident in Ukraine, prior to 1 January 2022, who has secured a visa under the “Homes for Ukraine” scheme, which enables them to be housed by a sponsor (Host).

To apply to the Ukraine Sponsorship route applicants must be Ukrainian, or the immediate family member of a Ukrainian national. They must also:

• have been residing in Ukraine on or immediately before 1 January 2022 (including those who have now left Ukraine)
• be outside of the UK
• have an eligible UK-based sponsor. This includes the Welsh Government as a super sponsor
• apply for a visa under the Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme (Homes for Ukraine)
• provide guests up to 18 months permission to remain in the UK when their existing visa ends
• provide guests with same entitlements to work, study, rent and receive benefits

“Ukraine Permission Extension” refers to the UK Government’s scheme to offer further temporary sanctuary to Ukrainians and their eligible family members who are living in the UK, which will:

• provide guests up to 18 months permission to remain in the UK when their existing visa ends
• provide guests with same entitlements to work, study, rent and receive benefits

Background and eligibility

These rules are at the discretion of the UK Government and may be subject to change. This guidance explains how the Welsh Government expects this scheme to operate in Wales. See also the latest version of the relevant guidance on the UK Government website.

Individual sponsors

A person in the UK may nominate a named Ukrainian or a named Ukrainian family to stay with them in their home or in a separate property.

The number of people who can access this scheme is uncapped. It is dependent on the capacity of the sponsors (individual hosts) who come forward.

Displaced people from Ukraine are able to live and work in the UK for up to three years. They can access benefits, healthcare, employment, and other support. They must have a visa and  standard security checks must be met before a visa can be issued.  Guests who have a three year visa that is due to expire may apply for the Ukraine Permission Extension 28 days before their visa expiry date. 

Hosts (and members of their household aged over 16 years) must apply for an enhanced disclosure if they are hosting someone in their own home. This must be done when they register for both the Super Sponsor route and Homes for Ukraine scheme.

The local authority will also make checks. These will include social work and local authority record checks for any child or adult protection risks or concerns.

To be confirmed as a host you must be over the age of 18 years old and based in the UK; with at least 6 months permission to be in the UK. You must be a British or Irish Citizen or settled in the UK and must pass the background checks. Hosts are expected to provide accommodation for at least 6 months. However, in Wales, we also have separate response host arrangements. Response hosts provide a shorter accommodation option for up to 75 days upon arrival of the Ukrainian in Wales. This supports with directly allocating new arrivals via the super sponsor scheme to a host. 

Until end of March 2025, local authorities will administer ‘thank you’ payments of £500 per month for each host household on behalf of the UK Government and, for hosts with guests in their first year of arrival in the UK, the Welsh Government. 

From 1 April 2025, local authorities will continue to administer thank you payments of £500 per month during the first 12 months of their guests’ arrival in the UK. £350 will be funded by the UK Government and £150 will be provided by the Welsh Government. Thereafter, this host payment will decrease to £350 a month once guests have been in the UK for 12 months. The £350 per month thank you payment will also be available to hosts with guests on the UPE scheme. However, these hosts will need to re-apply to the local authority for thank you payment.  

This is a ‘thank you’ payment not a rental or any other kind of contractual payment. Additional funding will be allocated for these payments. 

To align with current financial processes and to simplify the host top up process, the local authority will be required to pay the £150 top up directly to hosts and claim this back from the Welsh Government on their quarterly claim forms. The claim should be broken down to reflect the monthly payments within that quarter.  

Where local authorities have decided to uplift above £500, it will be their responsibility to fund the additional payment. 

The thank you payment is subject to all required checks being completed. There will be only 1 monthly payment per address paid in arrears regardless of:

• the number of guests being hosted
• the size or location of the property

Payments should not be released to sponsors until property checks and DBS checks have been completed. In the event the host does not engage with the checks, or that checks highlight concerns, the thank you payment threshold will not have been met and should not be paid.

This payment will be tax free. It should not affect the sponsor’s entitlement to benefits or to a Council Tax reduction. We will continue to work with local authorities on the delivery of these payments.

Sponsors/hosts should not charge rent. They are not expected to cover costs of food and living expenses. Sponsors/hosts may wish to offer this especially in early weeks while guests are settling in the UK. Sponsors/hosts should not expect their guest to carry out any unpaid work.

Further guidance regarding host eligibility is available on the UK Government website Paying sponsors: Homes for Ukraine.

Further details on Welsh Government guidance for hosts Homes for Ukraine: guidance for hosts and sponsors.

Ukraine permission extension

In February 2024, the Home Office announced that Ukrainians and their eligible family members in the UK who have already been granted permission under one of the other Ukraine Schemes would be able to apply for the UPE scheme before their existing permission expires.

The UPE scheme will continue to offer temporary sanctuary to Ukrainians and their eligible family members, and will:

• provide up to 18 months permission to remain in the UK
• provide the same entitlements to work, study, rent and receive benefits
• be free to apply for

The scheme opened for applications on 4 February 2025. Further information about eligibility and entitlements can be found in Home Office guidance Applying to the Ukraine Permission Extension scheme.

Thank you payments will be extended for hosts of guests on the UPE scheme. Sponsors/hosts will need to re-apply for thank you payments to continue when a guest moves on to the UPE scheme. 

After this UPE period ends, thank you payments will discontinue.

There is separate UK Government guidance for councils and guidance for sponsors/hosts on the UPE.

Read the guidance for local authorities on the funding available to support the Homes for Ukraine scheme.  

Data sharing

The Welsh Government receives and shares the following data with local authorities:

• Homes for Ukraine: Individual and Super Sponsor routes
• offers of support

We do not receive any data relating to people coming to Wales under the Ukraine Family scheme.

Any queries on the data that is shared should be sent to data@gov.wales.

Homes for Ukraine: Individual and Super Sponsor routes

The Welsh Government receives data from the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) about sponsors and citizens who have applied for visas under the Homes for Ukraine Individual and Super Sponsor routes. 

We also receive data on Ukrainian citizens entering the UK under the Homes for Ukraine schemes from the Home Office.

Data on sponsors, approved applicants, visa statuses and UK arrivals is shared with local authorities via Data Sharing Service.

The ‘Homes for Ukraine Scheme: privacy notice’ has also been published to provide information on how we process personal data, both will be reviewed regularly.

Offers of support 

The Welsh Government receives data about potential offers of hosts and accommodation for Ukrainian citizens. This information is shared with local authorities via the data sharing service. 

Homes for Ukraine Data Sharing Service

The Welsh Government has developed a national data sharing service to support the Homes for Ukraine resettlement scheme in Wales.

It provides secure access to an up-to-date, single source of data to those providing support to Ukrainian citizens coming into Wales.

It helps local authorities support individuals as well as enabling reporting to Welsh Ministers and UK Government.

Ukrainian arrivals can access free onward travel for 48 hours.  Further details are available on the UK Government’s website Guests travelling to and within the UK: Homes for Ukraine.

The Welcome Ticket scheme ended on 1 April 2024 and is no longer available. Ukrainians will now need to pay for travel on bus and train services in Wales.

They may be eligible for one of the free or discounted travel schemes also available if they are: 

• 60 years or over
• a disabled passenger
• a child or young person 

For further information on these and other discounted travel tickets please see Traveline Cymru or contact the local bus operator.

For learner transport requirements, further information is available on accessing transport for statutory school age and post-16 learners.

Sponsors and hosts in Wales can be:

• of any nationality
• must have at least 6 months’ leave to remain within the UK must have passed the background checks

Individuals are not eligible for host payments if they are hosting a family member. The full guidance on host eligibility is available on the Welsh Government website Homes for Ukraine: guidance for hosts and sponsors.

Sponsors and hosts are required to:

• provide suitable accommodation for a minimum of 6 months: It is at the local authority’s discretion if they wish to approve a host who is able to offer less than the recommended 6 months, but priority must be given to offering a sense of stability for a guest(s). The local authority should be mindful of pressures of supporting a guest to find alternative accommodation if a sponsor cannot provide accommodation for 6 months or more
• if hosts do not feel they can commit to 6 months, they can register as a ‘response host’ if they are prepared to offer accommodation for 75 days to new arrivals via the super sponsor route
• stay in regular contact with the person they are sponsoring prior to their arrival to help organise and coordinate their arrival in the UK
• where possible meet them on arrival, and facilitate transfer to their accommodation
• signpost the person to public services and assist them with tasks such as registering with a local GP surgery
• some potential hosts who rent their home may have a tenancy agreement which includes a term that says they need permission from their landlord before they host a guest
• notify local authorities if they are thinking of or decide to bring their hosting arrangement to an end

Further information on the role of sponsors is set out in the guidance for hosts and sponsors.

We advise all sponsors to regularly read that guidance to get the latest information about ways to support the people they are hosting.

The Welsh Government’s Super Sponsor route was designed to provide a quicker and safer route for people from Ukraine to come to a place of sanctuary.

It removed the need for applicants to be matched to an individual sponsor prior to being given permission to travel to the UK. Through the Super Sponsor route, people are directly allocated to a host wherever possible. If a host is unavailable, short-term welcome accommodation will be provided for 75 days. During this period, support will be provided by local authorities to help them settle into Wales.

This support includes language and interpretation services, GP registration, help to register for a bank account and access to social security payments.

Once people have arrived in Wales local authorities will assess people’s accommodation needs and seek to move people into longer-term accommodation.

This may be a social or private rental property or a property that has been registered by an individual on Homes for Ukraine: record your interest. 

Further guidance for local authorities regarding direct allocation to hosts, welcome accommodation and move on is available in the Homes for Ukraine: Framework for Accommodation: Homes for Ukraine: framework for accommodation.

By adopting the super sponsor approach, the Welsh Government has committed to provide support for the individuals and families on arrival into the UK. We have developed support services to provide wraparound services and to work with local authorities to secure ongoing accommodation during their stay in Wales.

We work closely with local authorities and the third sector to provide a warm welcome through this welcome accommodation and support package. Once arrivals are supported into longer-term accommodation, the local authority provides ongoing support and uses the national data platform to record people’s location and progress to access funding.

Local authorities are the key delivery mechanism for the Homes for Ukraine Super Sponsor route. The approach is similar to previous resettlement programmes and all 22 local authority resettlement teams will be involved in supporting arrivals into longer-term accommodation across Wales.

The initial process is:

• person arrives into Wales under Super Sponsor route and is allocated to a host. If a host is unavailable, the guest will be placed into welcome accommodation
• for guests allocated to welcome accommodation, local authority and partners undertake initial triage on arrival to assess for any emergency needs
• local authority resettlement partnerships work with welcome accommodation arrivals to identify immediate and longer-term needs. This will see arrivals receive initial financial support, local information on services and area, support with staying in touch with friends and family, advice and support to access benefits and advice and support on accessing health and education services
• arrivals can access ongoing support through local authority and Third Sector as required

Other services and support that should be provided by local authorities to guests in welcome accommodation include:

• access to interpretation services
• casework support
• risk assessment checks and safeguarding checks for certain welcome accommodation (the National Advisory Service will advise)
• immediate essential items
• connectivity: mobile phones and SIM cards
• support with community integration
• local co-ordination between support partners
• engagement with the Welsh Government

There are specific arrangements that need to be put in place to enable full provision of services and the implementation of overall resettlement processes, these are outlined in this guidance.

The Welsh Government funds the Wales Sanctuary Service. This service delivers advice and advocacy services to sanctuary seekers in Wales.

The service can provide the following support:

• applying for a bank account
• applying for Universal Credit, Child Benefits and Pension Credit
• finding English language classes
• employment and education advice
• making appointments to discuss your housing options
• help looking for accommodation
• referral to free legal and immigration advice and guidance
• registering children in local schools
• registering with health services

The service also includes immigration legal advice provided by Asylum Justice, where required. 

You can refer Ukrainians into the service for help via 0808 196 7273.

If there are any questions about the service contact: ukraine@services.wrc.wales

Family Reunion Integration Service

The Welsh Government grant funds the British Red Cross to provide trauma-informed, preventative, and holistic integration support for reunited refugee families, including Ukrainian family members arriving in Wales through the former Ukraine Family Scheme. 

The service provides a casework programme, led by the needs of arriving family members. Bespoke integration plans are established to help people settle in, access rights and entitlements, and be supported where vulnerability is identified.

Unfortunately, we do not have data on refugee family reunion visa grants in Wales or arrivals via the former Ukraine Family Scheme in Wales. As a result, we need to take a referral and ‘snowballing’ approach to promoting the scheme. We encourage all local authorities and third sector organisations who are in touch with arriving family members to promote the service to those individuals. We will also use social media networks to promote the service.

The service is operational, and you can refer Ukrainians, refugee sponsors, and arriving family members by emailing FamilyReunionCymru@redcross.org.uk or calling 01633 720 00, option 3.

The Welsh Government established the National Advisory Service to support local authorities and to coordinate and support the arrival of people in Wales under the Homes for Ukraine and Ukrainian Families schemes.  This service replaced the Contact Centre, which was delivered by Cardiff Council, in September 2024. 

The National Advisory Service operates a helpline service from 09:00 to 17:00, Monday to Friday, and provides advice and support to Super Sponsor visa holders throughout their journey and arrival in Wales.

Primarily, the team:

• provides advice on travel arrangements
• allocates people to a host of Welcome accommodation in Wales
• maintains host offers
• provide move on support to guests and local authorities
• supports the maintenance and development of the data sharing service
• there are particular health and wellbeing, or accessibility needs
• there are safeguarding concerns
• someone has not arrived at their expected destination
• there are cross-border allocations
• where there are pets
• fake sponsors
• stock cases of Unaccompanied Minors through Foundry
• managing host offers
• support for local authorities 

The team also supports the accommodation needs of more complex cases such as where:

• there are particular health and wellbeing, or accessibility needs
• there are safeguarding concerns
• someone has not arrived at their expected destination
• there are cross-border allocations
• where there are pets

The National Advisory Service is hosted by Blaenau Gwent local authority.

Freephone within UK: 808 1751508

From outside the UK: 020 4542 5671 / +44 (0)20 4542 5671

Email: support@sanctuary.gov.wales

Ukrainians sponsored by the Welsh Government on a Homes for Ukraine visa, who are placed in welcome accommodation, may expect to stay there for up to 75 days when they arrive in Wales. This provides time for local authorities to support them with settling into Wales and help them find longer-term accommodation.   

We need to maintain the sustainability of the Super Sponsor route so that we can continue to offer accommodation to those who need it. This means that there are circumstances when the offer of welcome accommodation during the first 75 days after arrival can reasonably be withdrawn. This includes a breach of the Code of Conduct or Acceptable Behaviour Agreement.

The Code of Conduct for welcome accommodation sets out expectations on guests in relation to absences from welcome accommodation. This includes: 

• requiring guests to inform staff if they are staying away from the accommodation overnight
• expecting guests to only travel during the 75 day welcome accommodation period if the travel is essential, and seek agreement from the local authority before making travel arrangements
• advising guests that short absences are likely to be acceptable if travel plans do not impact on move-on plans. Extended absences will only be acceptable in exceptional circumstances. If the absence is not agreed but they still decide to travel, the guest risks losing their welcome accommodation offer

A template Code of Conduct is available in the Homes for Ukraine: Framework for Accommodation. Local authorities should provide guests entering welcome accommodation with a Code of Conduct to ensure they understand what is expected of them during their stay.

Flexibility may be exercised where a guest has a good reason for being absent during the 75 days, such as unforeseen emergencies, illness or death of a relative; or the need to travel to take exams where these cannot be taken locally. Absences should be considered on a case-by-case basis. Regular travel for work or business are not normally good reasons for prolonged or frequent absences. 

If a local authority considers a guest’s absence to be a breach of the Code of Conduct, they must refer to the local authority guidance on managing breaches to the Code of Conduct. 

Leaving belongings in their room does not constitute occupancy and guests should be made aware that unattended belongings will be removed  and only stored for a very short period afterwards, if possible, until arrangements have been made for their disposal.  Any costs incurred by this may be charged to the guest.

The Homes for Ukraine: framework for accommodation guidance explains the principles local authorities need to consider when housing people from Ukraine. This includes providing accommodation after a stay in welcome accommodation or where a hosted placement has broken down. It also provides advice about ‘thank you’ payments to hosts.

The Framework explains the key principles to help local authorities with the challenging process of balancing our commitment to the people from Ukraine and homeless households in temporary accommodation.

The Framework includes recommended approaches to support the matching of Ukrainians to hosted placements or other longer-term accommodation across Wales. It also includes the rematching of people where an initial placement has broken down and a new placement needs to be agreed.

Expected standards for accommodation is explained in this guidance.

Those arriving under the Homes for Ukraine Scheme will have met standard international security checks before being issued with a visa. Sponsors and all adults in the sponsor’s household will also be subject to initial Police National Computer (PNC), criminal records and Warnings Index checks by the Home Office.

PNC checks will only identify individuals who have been subject to arrest, remand, conviction or warning markers. All requests for Police information should be carried out through the formal Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) process. This process includes checks of various police databases. It gives the best reassurance possible that vital information is not missed which could lead to safeguarding concerns.

DBS checks

Local authorities should start the DBS application as soon as possible following receipt of data on sponsors and/or guests, on the individual scheme and aim to ensure that all checks are completed prior to placing guests where practical.

Where the local authority is made aware of a match after a placement has taken place, i.e. self-matching, the local authority should ensure that DBS and accommodation checks are carried out immediately.

In the instance of a match on the Super Sponsor route, the relevant DBS checks must be completed in advance of move-in.

Local authorities can legally request an Enhanced DBS with checks of children’s and adults’ barred lists for all Homes for Ukraine sponsors and all members of a sponsor’s household aged 16 years and over if needed.

The local authority should use discretion when deciding which level of check to undertake on a sponsor (a Basic check or an Enhanced with Barred Lists check). This will depend on each hosting situation, including the make-up and needs of the guests that the sponsor is applying to host.

Local authorities must request Enhanced DBS checks (with a check of the relevant barred lists) in the following scenarios:

• on sponsors (and any other household member aged 16 years and over) of eligible children where there is a family relationship between the sponsor and the child, then an ‘Enhanced with children’s barred list check’ in the ‘Other’ workforce should be requested
• on sponsors (and any other household member aged 16 years and over) of eligible children where there is no family relationship between the sponsor and the child, then an ‘Enhanced with children’s barred list check’ in the ‘Child’ workforce should be requested
• on sponsors (and any other household member aged 16 years and over) of a family group that includes at least one guest who is a child (a guest under 18) and they are not related to the sponsor, an ‘Enhanced with children’s barred list check’ in the ‘Child’ workforce should be requested
• when an adult guest, who is not related to the sponsor, needs more support, due to age, illness or disabilities and it is proposed that a member of the sponsoring household (aged 16 years and over) gives them this support, then an Enhanced DBS check (including a check of the adults’ barred list) should be made on the specific member(s) of the sponsor’s household who will give that support

In all other cases, including if guests are being rematched with a new host, local authorities should use their own judgement to decide whether to apply for an Enhanced DBS check (with a check of the relevant barred list). If the local authority decides that an Enhanced DBS check is not needed, a Basic DBS check should be requested for sponsors and household members aged 16 years and over. There is no expiry date on Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) criminal record checks. It is up to those using the check for safeguarding purposes, to decide if they will accept an existing certificate. Further information can be found on the UK Government website Homes for Ukraine: Ukraine Permission Extension scheme guidance for councils. 

If a DBS check discloses previous offences, local authorities should take a balanced view on a case-by-case basis when judging the suitability of that individual (and their household) for the hosting role, taking into account factors such as:

• the person’s age at the time of the offence
• how long ago the offence took place
• the nature of the offence and its relevance to being a host
• what else is known about the person’s conduct before or since the offence

The decision should be clearly recorded and signed off by the assigned decision-maker. Some local authorities may wish to hold a panel to make this decision, or use their existing processes to consider such cases, i.e. facilitating a multiagency meeting or raising with Public Protection Unit.

We recognise that guests may need to be temporarily absent from their host accommodation for various reasons.

If a guest is away for more than 4 consecutive weeks in a single period, or it has been 4 consecutive weeks and they have not returned, hosts will need to notify their local authority.

If a guest is away for less than 4 weeks, hosts do not need to notify their local authority. However, if a guest is absent on multiple occasions for fewer than 4 weeks, hosts should discuss the reasoning for this with their guest and engage with their local authority if they have any concerns.

If absences are becoming a pattern and the guest is absent on multiple occasions for fewer than 4 weeks, hosts are encouraged to discuss this with the local authority. The local authority is expected to ensure the reason for frequent absence is justified, and that the host placement is being appropriately used. The local authority can use their judgment as to whether the hosting arrangement is being abused and consider if notice should be given for the placement to end. The local authority should attempt to work with the guest and understand the reason in the first instance and explain how further absences may affect the placement.

If a host is notified that a guest is leaving permanently, they must notify the local authority that the hosting arrangement has ended. They should not wait until 4 weeks of absence has passed before notifying the local authority.

For guests staying with response hosts, it is recommended that guests are only absent during the 75-day placement in exceptional circumstances. Any essential absence should be limited to 2 weeks if possible. This is to maximise the time available for guests to work with local authority case workers to find longer-term accommodation. If a guest is absent during this time, hosts are expected to inform their local authority of the absence so they are aware. 

If local authorities have reason to believe that a host has withheld information to make thank you payment claims, the local authority has the right to make further investigations. This could result in the host having to pay back money.

Guests absent from sponsor accommodation for a continuous period exceeding 4 weeks

Once the local authority is notified of a guest’s absence over 4 weeks the host’s ‘thank you’ payments should be paused. These should be reinstated once the guest returns.

Guests in receipt of benefits from Department for Work and Pensions, should also be advised of the need to notify them of any absences from the UK.

Service referrals. All families from Ukraine can register with a doctor (GP) to access mainstream health services. This includes mental health services.

Guidance for Health Boards on the Health and Wellbeing of Asylum Seekers and Refugees explains how health support should be provided. Local authorities should work with local health boards to signpost people to advice and referral pathways to specialist public health services. For example, for vaccinations (including the COVID-19 vaccination) or health screening.

Advice on further support services such as:

• initial stabilisation
• counselling and mental health support
• adult social care
• children’s services

should be provided as needed.

Materials to support the mental health and initial stabilisation of those arriving from Ukraine have been translated into Ukrainian and Russian. These are published on the Traumatic Stress Wales website.

The National Centre for Mental Health (NCMH) has produced a useful toolkit that can be used directly by people who have experienced traumatic events. This has been translated into over 20 different languages (including Ukrainian and Russian).

Supporting people who have suffered traumatic events Toolkit:

• English language
• Ukrainian language
• Russian language

The Royal College of Psychiatrists has published support materials to help with stabilisation during the initial resettlement phase. This includes a helpful leaflet about coping after a traumatic event which contains information for anyone who has experienced a traumatic event, and can also help someone who knows a person who has experienced a traumatic event. This leaflet is also available in over 20 different languages (including Ukrainian and Russian).

CALL Mental Health Helpline is available to support people and their families arriving in Wales. CALL uses Language Line if someone wants to access help in a language other than English and Welsh. Information on the CALL Mental Health Helpline has also been translated into 20 different languages (including Russian and Ukrainian):

• English language
• Ukrainian language
• Russian Language

Support for Displaced People in Wales in Private Accommodation guidance for sponsors has been published by the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Hub Wales. The document includes links to Royal College of Psychiatrists resources on coping after a traumatic event.

ACE Hub Wales is part of the World Health Organisation Collaborating Centre in Public Health Wales (PHW). They have developed a range of resources focussing on tackling, preventing and mitigating the impacts of Adverse Childhood Experiences. This includes a pre-recorded training resource delivered to those supporting displaced people.

ACE Hub Wales has also published a leaflet to explain the effects of being exposed to distressing events which have been translated into multiple languages. This is included in a mental health resources document published on the Traumatic Stress Wales website. They have also published helpful information on the health and wellbeing support available for displaced people.

Information about understanding and dealing with grief (in Ukrainian) is available from Cruse Bereavement Support.

The information includes step-by-step instructions on how to call the Cruse helpline and receive help through an interpreter. There is an article on their website about traumatic loss in conflict and war.

The Welsh Government is working to ensure that safeguarding is a central consideration in the systems, policy and advice being developed to support the arrival of people from Ukraine. We know this is also a priority for local authorities and relevant safeguarding partners.

There are a number of different ways in which people from Ukraine and people in Wales will come to be living in a single household. This guidance is about the individual UK Government sponsoring scheme via Homes for Ukraine. It will be reviewed and updated regularly.

Overall, local authorities are required to carry out their existing statutory safeguarding functions in relation to this individual sponsoring scheme, as they would for any other population in Wales. Advice on identifying and responding to safeguarding concerns about children or adults at risk (as defined in the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014) is explained in the Wales Safeguarding Procedures.

The Case Management team are now able to support and assist local authorities to ensure guests are kept safe and any concerns swiftly resolved.

Local authorities are asked to direct all such queries to:

• freephone within UK: 808 1751508
• from outside the UK: 020 4542 5671 / +44 (0)20 4542 5671
• email: support@sanctuary.gov.wales

Modern slavery

Read the guidance for local authorities on safeguarding and modern slavery.

Read the guidance for local authorities on education from early years to work.

The Welsh Government has no powers to change the laws or policies on immigration this is reserved to the UK Government. When a person arrives in the UK their immigration status is decided by the Home Office. People coming to Wales from the Ukraine under the Home Office schemes will have immigration documents or visas to show their rights to work and claim benefits.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) have removed certain residence based qualifying conditions for people from the Ukraine. People from the Ukraine who have come to the UK under certain Home Office visa schemes are exempt from the Habitual Residence and Past Presence Tests. This means they can apply for certain benefits immediately after arriving.

The Welsh Government has no powers in relation to:

• the welfare benefits system including benefits for disabled people
• support for people seeking employment
• support for people to get into work
• access to benefits such as Universal Credit

These are managed by the UK Government at the DWP.

Income related benefits for children, such as Child Benefit and Child Tax Credit, are managed by the UK Government at Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC).

A person who has come to Wales under the Home for Ukraine sponsorship scheme and continues to reside with a host will be disregarded for council tax purposes. This will protect the host’s entitlement to the following discounts:

• 25% discount for one liable adult in the sponsor household or
• 50% discount where all people in the sponsor household are already disregarded

The host will not lose any exemption from council tax if they offer accommodation to a person who has a visa under the Homes for Ukraine sponsorship scheme.

If the host provides accommodation in a second home the higher premium council tax will not be charged. The person residing in the property will be liable to pay council tax at the standard rate.

An individual or family from Ukraine living in separate accommodation will be liable to pay the standard rate of council tax. The Welsh Government wants them to have access to council tax support to reduce the amount they must pay where appropriate.

From April 2023, the Welsh Government has made provision in the Council Tax Reduction Scheme regulations (CTRS) so that people from Ukraine are eligible for council tax support.

The council tax bills of households who host people under the Homes for Ukraine scheme are not affected. Also, people from Ukraine living in separate accommodation will have access to the CTRS.

Ukrainians staying in Welcome Accommodation (for example airbnb) properties may be subject to council tax. Ukrainians are encouraged to engage with the Local Authority council tax teams to ensure that any Council Tax Reductions are applied. 

Support for people from Ukraine seeking employment is managed by the UK Government at the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). Employment support will be assessed at a local level by resettlement teams. DWP Work Coaches will signpost individuals to suitable employability and skills support.

DWP Work Coaches will undertake individual assessments. People from Ukraine will have access to a range of employment and skills support that is tailored to their individual needs.

For businesses seeking to offer employment it is important to note that guests are given time to rest and to recuperate. They may not be immediately available for work. Offers of accommodation must not to be linked to offers of employment.

DWP has implemented a new process for employers to share details of their potential vacancies. Employers should complete an on-line template via the DWP’s offer work to people who have come to the UK from Afghanistan or Ukraine page.

When a completed template has been submitted, a member of the team at the DWP will contact the prospective employer to discuss the vacancy. Suitable vacancies will be made available to anyone seeking employment across the Job Centre Network.

The Working Wales service can provide personalised expert careers advice and employment support. It is a free service available to anyone aged 16 and over living in Wales.

Working Wales can help by offering:

• careers information, advice and guidance
• help to find job opportunities
• CV and application support
• job interview preparation
• redundancy and unemployment support
• support to apply for funding
• advice and coaching on career change
• help to upskill and access training
• referrals to other employability services

Working Wales can also help people seeking sanctuary by providing access to:

• a language line for interpretation during our appointments
• advisers specialising in support for refugees and those seeking sanctuary
• transferring overseas qualifications into recognised UK equivalents for those applying for work or training

Working Wales contact details:

• telephone 0800 028 4844
• Website
• dropping into a Careers Wales centre

Specific guidance has been developed to support the recruitment of people from Ukraine into the childcare sector.

Cats, dogs or ferrets brought into the UK must meet strict health requirements. Read the Bringing your pet to Wales from Ukraine: frequently asked questions for more information. These rules differ from England and Scotland as Welsh ministers decided not to relax the quarantine requirements in Wales for cats, dogs and ferrets. 

Birds, rodents and other small mammals may need a licence from the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA). These birds and small mammals must be kept indoors in an enclosure for 30 days. They must not have any contact with other pets or wildlife. These requirements do not apply to reptiles or invertebrates.

It is important to ask hosts if they are happy to accept pets and the type of pets they can accept. Some people may dislike or not be able to tolerate some types of animals. Some hosts or their household members may have allergies which would make it difficult to host a pet.

If an animal is quarantined, it is important that Welsh Government is notified of this and proposed or actual release dates as soon as possible.  This will enable us to plan for the animal’s release, either into pet-friendly accommodation with its owner or, where this is not possible, to boarding kennels.

There may be limited capacity to house pets in welcome accommodation. Cats, dogs and ferrets which meet APHA requirements may have to be housed elsewhere. This will usually be in boarding kennels or catteries. The local authority should have a list of registered kennels and catteries in their area. Welsh Government will support kennel costs for the first 75 days in which pets cannot be accommodated in pet-friendly welcome accommodation.

No one should arrive at their accommodation in Wales with a pet that does not meet APHA requirements. If there are concerns a pet is not compliant guidance should be sought immediately from APHA.

Contact details

Telephone: +44 3000 200 301 (option 2)

Email: ukrainepettravel@apha.gov.uk

Evidence of compliance may be in the form of an APHA licence or a pet passport. APHA may need to send someone to assess the animal. Hosts, local authority case workers and, where appropriate and possible, the owners of the welcome accommodation should ask the pet owner to keep the animal indoors. The animal must not have contact with other pets, wildlife or humans. APHA must be satisfied the animal is compliant before it can live with the family.

There are no restrictions for pets that meet all APHA requirements.