Support available for Ukrainian Guests and their Hosts

Support available for Ukrainian Guests and their Hosts

The Resettlement Team is a key service to support those arriving and those sponsoring families as part of the Homes for Ukraine scheme to find out about services and activities available locally in Worcestershire"

Local organisations or services who are in a position to provide practical or emotional support who are not already registered on the Community Services Directory, can register their details on the Community Services Directory.

What we are doing

Council leaders across the county have pledged to welcome Ukrainian guests with a ‘One Worcestershire’ approach, confirmed by a joint statement of support:

The situation in Ukraine has shocked us all locally, nationally and internationally and our thoughts are with all those who have been affected.

“As Leaders of the seven councils across Worcestershire, we have unanimously pledged to support in as far as we are able, those arriving to our county from Ukraine with a One Worcestershire approach.

“We’d like to thank residents across Worcestershire for their continuing support.”

Worcestershire County Council and the six district councils are working together with local communities, using their experience of supporting refugees over the last few years, to ensure the county can offer the best experience to those arriving from Ukraine.

Nationally, over 150,000 people registered in the first few days and it has taken some time for the Government to work through the detail and match families to potential hosts and share this information with relevant councils.

Latest figures show that Worcestershire is preparing to welcome over 500 guests as part of the Homes for Ukraine scheme.

The County Council and District Council teams from across Worcestershire continue to work closely together to support guests as they arrive.

District Council teams are working tirelessly to ensure that housing checks are completed as soon as possible.

If you have registered to be a sponsor as part of the Homes for Ukraine scheme, more information from Government will be available soon. There is a frequently asked questions section on the Government website if you have any questions at this stage.

If you would like to contact the Homes for Ukraine team, please email them at HomesforUkraine@Worcestershire.gov.uk

How you can help

There is specifically a request for organisations or services who are in a position to provide practical or emotional support and translation support and are not already registered on the Community Services directory, to register online as soon as possible.

When the guests start to arrive, council staff will be working closely with them and their sponsor families to understand what additional support they may need in terms of donations from residents and businesses.

Libraries in each district have also become hubs for residents to find trusted information about how they can help, access a wide variety of information and will also be locations where Ukrainian families can meet and use our services and we have increased our stock of books that will be useful for our Ukrainian guests.

Support available to you

If you have friends and family in Ukraine and need information or support about what is happening, please contact the Ukrainian Embassy 

For information from central government, including travel advice, see the latest government information and advice on the situation in Ukraine

Latest updates and resources

Book onto wellbeing workshops and learning courses

Search a wide range of services and support offered by Charities, Community Groups and local businesses in your local area on the Community Services directory

Find out about support services from starting well Worcestershire and events taking place in your area.

Your district

The District Councils are also offering support for Ukranian Guests see their website(s) for more information and advice.

Contact Districts

Frequently asked questions

General FAQ's

Q. My guests have not received their free bus pass, how can I get one sent out?

A. If your guests have not already received their free bus pass, please contact your local district council to advise that your guests have now arrived. The district council will then notify Worcestershire County Council and we will issue the bus pass. This can take up to 10 working days to be processed and will be issued from the date of sending so your guests can take full advantage of the free bus pass. The bus passes will be valid for 9 months from the date of issue. Bus passes that have already been issued for 6 months will be automatically extended and will be sent just before the old one expires. This is to ensure that all guests can take advantage of a 9 month pass

Q. How can I register interest in becoming a sponsor?

A. If you want to offer a home to people fleeing Ukraine, you can become a ‘sponsor’ as part of the Homes for Ukraine scheme. 

You can register as an individual or as an organisation.

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) will contact you about your interest. You will then need to apply to be a sponsor.

You will be paired with someone needing somewhere to live if your application is successful.

DLUHC will carry out checks on both sponsors and people seeking to come to the UK, including the standard of accommodation. Sponsors will be provided with a support pack.

Visit Homes for Ukraine: GOV.UK to register your interest.

Q. What happen after I register Interest in becoming a sponsor?

A. The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) will contact you about your interest.

You can read more about being a sponsor, including responsibilities, checks, and how you can support your guests by visiting Homes for Ukraine: sponsor guidance - GOV.UK.

Q. I have not registered to become a sponsor.  How can I or my organisation offer my support for when families arrive?

A. You can register your interest in volunteering by visiting volunteering.

There is specifically a request for organisations or services who are in a position to provide practical or emotional support and translation support and are not already registered on the Community Services directory, to register online as soon as possible. 

Q. How can I make a donation?

A. The best way to help provide food, water, shelter, healthcare and protection to families fleeing the conflict in Ukraine is to make a donation to the Disaster Emergency Committee’s (DEC) Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal.

The DEC brings together 15 leading UK aid charities to raise funds quickly and efficiently at times of crisis. The charities, including the British Red Cross, Save The Children and Oxfam, are experienced in delivering practical aid directly to the victims of conflict.

Q. What happens when guests start to arrive in Worcestershire?

A. When the guests start to arrive, council staff will be working closely with them and their sponsor families to understand what additional support they may need in terms of donations from residents and businesses.

Libraries in each district have also become hubs for residents to find trusted information about how they can help, access a wide variety of information and will also be locations where Ukrainian families can meet and use our services and we have increased our stock of books that will be useful for our Ukrainian guests.

Q. What If I have friends and family in Ukraine and need information or support about what is happening?

Please contact the Ukrainian Embassy

For information from central government, including travel advice, see the latest government information and advice on the situation in Ukraine.

Q. Do I need to notify my insurance company if I provide accommodation?

A. The Association of British Insurers have said:

"If you are a homeowner in the UK and want to temporarily house refugees who have been displaced from the conflict in Ukraine as non-paying guests in your home, you do not need to inform your insurer and your cover will remain the same. This applies for the first 12 months of any refugees living with you, including when your policy is due for renewal. After 12 months, if any refugees are still living with you, then you should tell your insurer when you next renew your policy."

Customers should be aware of any existing terms that might apply to non-paying guests within their insurance policy and contact their insurer if they wish to discuss their cover or other changes in circumstances. Some insurers have committed to extending cover to include refugees as members of a household.

If homeowners wish to house refugees displaced from the conflict in Ukraine in their second homes, guest homes or rental properties, or for longer than 12 months at their primary residence, they should discuss this with their insurer in the first instance.

Q. Do I need to notify my insurance company if I volunteer as a driver?

A. The Association of British Insurers have said:

"If you want to use your private vehicle to transport goods around the UK to aid in the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Ukraine, most customers will not need to inform their insurer and their cover will not be impacted."

Q. Can my guests bring their pets?

A. If your guests are arriving with pets then they will need to follow our quarantine rules and liaise with Worcester Regulatory Services to do the necessary checks. For general enquiries please contact tsenquiries@worcestershireTS.gov.uk, or for Worcester Regulatory Services contact enquiries@worcsregservices.gov.uk.

Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Checks FAQ’s 

Q. I Already have a DBS check, why do I need another?

Not all DBS checks are the same or may be out of date. To ensure the safety of Ukraine guests we require all adults over 16 in the household, or another property being offered by the Lead Sponsor, to undergo a DBS check.  For hosting adults only you will need a basic DBS check for hosting adults and children you will need an enhanced DBS check.

Q. Do my Ukrainian guests require a DBS check?

A. No. Ukrainian guests are not required to undergo a DBS check. 

Q. Why do I need to provide my evidence in person for enhanced DBS checks?

A. We need to inspect the documents and check they are valid and will be accepted. We will also be able to correct any incorrect information more quickly. 

Q. What if someone in my household is unable to attend the ID checking appointment?

A. The lead sponsor can bring the ID for all over 16s in your household to the appointment.

Q. What ID documentation is accepted for an enhanced DBS check?

A. Please see the linked guidance on the types of documentation required.

Sponsor list of valid ID documents for enhanced DBS check

Q. I have a driving offence, will this come up on the DBS check?

A. Most driving offences won’t appear on a basic DBS check. On an enhanced DBS check any caution or conviction not filtered will show. We are not able to discriminate against any offence, the council will make a case by case decision about whether to proceed with your host applications.

Q. What happens if there is an issue completing my basic DBS Check online?

A. If there is an issue completing your basic DBS Check online please visit Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)

What does the enhanced DBS check cover?

A. Key data from the DBS application is checked against the Police National Computer (PNC), Barred Lists and additional police records to search for any potential matches. Including details relating to any:

  • cautions
  • convictions
  • reprimands and warnings (now replaced by youth cautions)
  • previously stepped-down cautions or convictions
  • police intelligence reports (local police can add anything they think is relevant)
  • inclusion on the Children’s and/or Adults Barred List (if specified on the application)

For each recorded criminal offence, the report reveals the conviction or caution date, name of the court, nature of the offence, date of the offence, and the details of the sentence imposed.

Q. What is not covered on an enhanced DBS check?

A. The following are not disclosed on an enhanced DBS check:

  • fixed penalty notices (e.g. speeding tickets, littering fines, etc.)
  • allegations (if you are accused, but not prosecuted of a crime)
  • filtered cautions or convictions, for further information see: DBS filtering guide GOV.UK.
  • details of whether convictions or cautions are spent or unspent

Q. I might have something that comes up on my record, what happens next?

A. Once you receive your DBS certificate, you will be asked to share this with the council. If a caution is on your record, the council will make a case by case decision about whether to proceed with your host applications

Q. I have a conviction in another country, will this appear?

A. The DBS is unable to access criminal records held overseas. If you have a conviction from another country, you must disclose this to the local council to make a case by case decision about your hosting application. We will ask for a code of good conduct from another country if you have lived overseas for 6 months or more in the same country in the last 5 years. 

Q. What if the information is wrong or irrelevant?

A. Your DBS certificate will be sent to you, not the local council. This will give you an opportunity to challenge any of the information in the certificate.

Q. Can I find out what information a DBS check would contain in advance?

A. Yes. You could make a subject access request to the police to find out what information they hold about you. 

Q. Will a DBS check include information about my mental health problem?

A. A basic DBS check won't include this information, but a standard or enhanced DBS check will include details of any non-conviction information held about you on local police records which the police consider relevant. This is formally known as 'approved information', but is more commonly referred to as 'non-conviction information' or 'Chief Police Officers discretion'.

This could include information which relates to your mental health – for example, if you have ever been removed to a place of safety by the police under section 136 of the Mental Health Act 1983 (see our information on sectioning to find out more).
However, although it is possible for the police to include non-conviction information on an enhanced DBS check, it is rare that they do include it. Between October 2017 and September 2018, only 0.1% of DBS certificates included approved information from local police records.

Q. I am transgender and do not wish to share my previous identity. 

A. The DBS offers a confidential checking process for transgender applicants.

This process is for transgender applicants who do not wish to reveal details of their previous identity to the person who asked them to complete an application form for a DBS check.

For more information about the transgender process, email: sensitive@dbs.gov.uk or see the DBS Transgender Applications guidance.

Q. Is the DBS check holding up the visa application for my Ukraine guest(s)?

A. We have received reassurance from DLUHC that the DBS check process is not a requirement for issuing a visa and the associated permission to travel, and the DBS may well be completed after any Ukraine guests arrive.

Q. Will my bus pass be extended past 6 months?

A. Bus Passes will not be extended past 6 months.

Below are some links which may help you identify alternate options of support to travel by bus across Worcestershire.

For further information and more frequently asked questions please visit Homes for Ukraine scheme: frequently asked questions - GOV.UK.

Was this page useful?