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Original poster

Support for those signing up to host Ukrainians.

98 replies

Holidayreservation · 14/03/2022 12:18

I know there’s the other thread but that’s more so of a debate of why/why not people who are going to host Ukrainians refugees.

I’m 95% sure I’m going to do it, I signed up to a charity on Friday but that’s more of a Ukrainian based support network so I’m not sure they’ll be working with hosting people over here.

I’m waiting for the official government website to go live to read more details - so far we’ve got that there’s a monthly £350 ‘thank you’ for being hosting and it’s a minimum of 6 months.

I know these government contracts/schemes can be hard to navigate and they’ll be a lot of winging it/not a lot of info with bumps to be signing up (apparently we’ll be vetted) but it usually takes weeks for DBS to be submitted.

I thought it might be good to have a place for us to share info and whack our brains together/hand hold as this could be a fair amount of upheaval to get this going/hosting.

OP posts:
Roundeartheratchriatmas · 14/03/2022 18:54

From looking it seems that there are existing charities that match people I’m not clear if they are partaking in the scheme ? I guess it’s just too new for them to say.

Thistooshallpsss · 14/03/2022 19:07

I’m not knocking the concept at all but it seems to government are basically saying we will only let people across the border once you the British public have decided individually to house them. Not wishing to start a bun fight but not what I would be hoping for if I was running from bombs to a supposedly civilised country

Coriandersucks · 14/03/2022 19:22

Watching with interest as although I’m not able to take anyone myself, my parents want to and they’ve got a tiny bungalow and they’re in their 70s but desperate to help and whilst they’re fit and have their faculties I want to make sure there’s nothing important they might have missed before they commit to something

Xpologog · 14/03/2022 19:25

@Thistooshallpsss

I’m not knocking the concept at all but it seems to government are basically saying we will only let people across the border once you the British public have decided individually to house them. Not wishing to start a bun fight but not what I would be hoping for if I was running from bombs to a supposedly civilised country
Exactly. Thank goodness the Polish, Moldovan and German citizens didn’t wait for their governments to issue forms, sift through them etc…

Website continually crashing.

TheZeppo · 14/03/2022 19:29

I’m trying but I’m having issues with the website? Anyone else? It’s the Gov.uk link.

BirdOnTheWire · 14/03/2022 19:36

Considering it here. Just DH and me, both retired adult DC no longer here and loads of space.

HeartsAndClubs · 14/03/2022 19:41

Some information here:

How to sponsor Ukrainian refugees and offer them a UK home www.bbc.co.uk/news/60735121

As much as people are critical of how this is being run, the truth is that it is far better to have a plan in place, otherwise you end up with hundreds of thousands of refugees coming over the border with nowhere to house them.

It’s far better to have people go into already pre-arranged circumstances than to e.g. end up in refugee camps such as will happen in other countries.

hotdogsjumpingfrogs · 14/03/2022 19:43

@TheZeppo

I’m trying but I’m having issues with the website? Anyone else? It’s the Gov.uk link.
Yes, tried about 10 times.... still haven't been able to submit the form!
CockingASnook · 14/03/2022 19:46

I’m set on trying to help as much as I can. I have an empty family-friendly house in a town near London so hopefully that will be considered. But I have a couple of questions: if we don’t know Ukrainians, how do we get matched with families? Are any charities better than others at doing this? And are they eligible to claim financial assistance at once?

VenusClapTrap · 14/03/2022 19:51

Ooh useful thread. I’m thinking of doing this.

Jammallama · 14/03/2022 19:55

Both DH and I have come to this independently and have registered our interest. We have room and happy to help. I'd like to know how we can find refugees via charities and other groups - if anyone has any ideas then please can you drop them in here??

HeartsAndClubs · 14/03/2022 19:57

On the bbc link I posted there are a number of charity names which should prove useful.

Hen2018 · 14/03/2022 20:01

I can't have anyone to stay here (autistic teenage son plus we live in a 2 up 2 down).

I would like to help in some other way - driving, paperwork etc. I've got one of the ongoing DBS checks.

Jammallama · 14/03/2022 20:11

Thanks @HeartsAndClubs Smile

mrsmolks · 14/03/2022 20:27

I also want to do it in a second home I have and I am happy to do it for 6 months. I am concerned through about what happens when the six months is up. I'm not prepared to commit indefinitely and my friend had a nightmare getting a tenant out of one of her flats

Kendodd · 14/03/2022 20:28

I managed to sign up no problem.
No idea how I find a Ukrainian to sponsor though.

Skyeheather · 14/03/2022 20:38

@Thistooshallpsss

I’m not knocking the concept at all but it seems to government are basically saying we will only let people across the border once you the British public have decided individually to house them. Not wishing to start a bun fight but not what I would be hoping for if I was running from bombs to a supposedly civilised country
There is a housing crisis in the UK at the moment, there aren't enough houses for our own people. There are lots of refugees from Afghanistan still temporarily living in hotels because we have no houses for them to go to.

I think that our Government have decided that the only way we can accommodate all the Ukrainians that we are supposed to take is to ask the public to take them in.

Hundreds of houses aren't going to magically appear in six months time. If they can't return to Ukraine in six months time people could be housing them for years?

mrsmolks · 14/03/2022 20:42

@Skyeheather that is exactly my concern. Helping people short term is fine but it could turn into years

Original poster
Holidayreservation · 14/03/2022 22:17

I’ve found a family to host!

A mum with her two kids (primary age) and her mum as I’ve got two spare rooms. A Ukrainian lady who lives in the U.K. has been supporting since the war broke out with sending over supplies and now she’s assisting her friend with getting her and her family over.

Apparently the granny is going to do all the childcare while the mum tries to find work (speaks fluent English apparently and worked as a teacher in Ukraine).

They’re currently in Germany sleeping in a living room and will come over as soon as it’s possible. They’re going to organise their own transport and the friend will drop them off when they arrive then take them shopping to get all their supplies/food - I did try to insist that it wasn’t necessary but apparently that’s what the donations she’s collected is for.

Fingers crossed this all goes well!

OP posts:
TheCountessofFitzdotterel · 14/03/2022 22:49

That’s great news. How did you make contact?

I am going to wait a couple of days to see if DH’s colleague knows of anyone then register formally. The Ukrainian learning has begun (dh already speaks Russian).

TheCountessofFitzdotterel · 14/03/2022 22:54

If they are coming from Germany they will probably have had covid jabs, at least the adults. My ex sil lives in Berlin and took in 2 international students from the train station. When they went to register as refugees they were given covid jabs even before the window opened for international students from Ukraine to register.

tigerbear · 14/03/2022 23:00

Placemarking.

JamMakingWannaBe · 14/03/2022 23:11

@Holidayreservation That's amazing. You are so generous!

Can I ask if you have hosted students/ lodgers before? I was reading on another thread you needed to tell your mortgage company, and your home insurance and get a landlord safety certificate for your boiler....

There just seem to be hurdles to help people fleeing a war zone!

Original poster
Holidayreservation · 14/03/2022 23:26

@TheCountessofFitzdotterel

There’s quite a lot of FB groups out there with people needing support/offering to host.
I posted on one with 50k people on it (a lot of people hosting on the mainland) but heard nothing.

Then I saw on another general Ukraine support page a lady asking for two bedrooms. Messaged her with a brief bio, location, local amenities, what I was willing to offer etc. she sent me her phone number, then we had a chat (both got a bit teary) as she’s been finding it easy to find homes for people needing one room but not two.

The family will get in contact with me tomorrow then this lady will call me back as there should be more info on the visa situation.

I’m not sure what the turn around will be - I keep seeing Friday being the day where Ukrainians can request visas but how long is that going to take?! Not sure if I should start gathering toys/kiddy bedding etc now or wait until things are finalised?

OP posts: