Rematching and the council's role: Homes for Ukraine
Information about rematching children, rematching using existing sponsors and rematching in two-tier councils. Also how the council can help with rematching.
The role of councils in rematching
Councils can use the Expression of Interest (EOI) list on the case management system (CMS) to find a new host or their own bank of known sponsors. They could also turn to local or national voluntary and community sector (VCS) groups for support with rematching.
In August DLUHC wrote to those potential sponsors on the EOI list to raise awareness around the increased demand for new hosts and ask them to confirm their interest. This process has now concluded, and the CMS has been updated as follows:
- where people have responded that they are no longer able or willing to become hosts, their status has been updated to reflect this
- a new filter was created for those who did not respond to our communication.
Following the Foundry database cleanse, we carried out analysis of the data provided by willing sponsors. This helped to assess where willing sponsors are based and their hosting capacity.
Guest self-rematching
Guests who need a new host after six months are encouraged to try and find a new host for themselves in the first instance, before approaching their local council. Guidance for guests includes information on matching safely.
Where a guest approaches the council with a proposed new host for a rematch, the council should not block this and should complete the relevant checks (accommodation, DBS, and welfare) to facilitate the guest moving into the new accommodation and to make the ‘thank you’ payment payable to the new host. These checks should be completed as soon as possible to avoid delays in moving in.
We are aware that some guests are moving into new arrangements before checks have taken place. While this is at their own risk, it is the responsibility of councils to retrospectively recognise these and ensure these arrangements are safe by completing relevant checks (DBS, accommodation, and welfare) as soon as possible but should not refuse it for any reason other than accommodation, safeguarding or fraud concerns. The ‘thank you’ payment will then be payable to the new host from the date the council are notified by the host or guest about the new arrangement.
Voluntary and community sector (VCS) led rematching
Alongside councils, the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) plays a vital role in supporting the Homes for Ukraine scheme, including matching, rematching, and a range of other services. VCS organisations play an essential role in rematching by acting as a contact point for guests, finding them a new host and navigating them through the process.
We have set out some key principles to facilitate best-practice working between councils and VCS groups:
- councils should make use of VCS support for rematching in their areas where they can
- it is the responsibility of the guest or their VCS group to notify the council as soon as possible of a new match to allow the checks to take place. It is then the responsibility of councils to ratify rematches sourced by a VCS group (including issuing of the thank you payment). Councils have discretion over whether to accept VCS checks as sufficient, as part of their overall responsibility for sponsor suitability. However, it remains the responsibility of the council to assure themselves that the necessary checks have been completed, as soon as possible
- councils can refer guests and/or hosts through to local or national VCS groups where the council does not have capacity to source a match, or in particularly urgent and/or complex cases where VCS groups may be best placed to provide support. Prior to referral, we would encourage councils to engage with the relevant VCS groups to make sure that they are providing rematching services in their areas
- councils should provide clear points of contact to VCS groups they engage with
The Recognised Provider page on gov.uk sets out trusted national matching providers. Guests can contact a Recognised Provider if they need help finding a new host. This page has recently been updated, and more recognised providers may be active in your area.
Rematching children
Children must not be rematched separately to the Ukrainian adults in the existing sponsorship relationship. In a household with multiple Ukrainian adults, you can rematch part of the adult household if appropriate. For example, in a Ukrainian household with just two adults, you could rematch just one adult, with the other adult remaining with the existing host, if appropriate.
There is a separate process for rematching children who are living in the UK without a parent or legal guardian.
Rematching within 2-tier councils
Responsibility in 2-tier council areas for rematching should be determined locally, because of the differing structures of service delivery.
Where the guests include children who are already enrolled in school or college, councils should prioritise rematches that are as local as possible to the education setting, to ensure continuity of education.
Rematching with existing sponsors
If rematching guests with a host who has previously sponsored Ukrainian guests on the Homes for Ukraine Scheme, councils will not be required to undertake additional checks in advance, if they do not judge them necessary.
If a sponsorship has broken down due to concerns over the quality of accommodation or safeguarding issues related to the host, that host should not be considered for rematching, and there will be a mechanism within the Foundry system to red flag unsuitable addresses.
Checks and sponsor suitability
The safety of beneficiaries is paramount. There are some differences to the checks process for rematches as these checks are happening outside of the visa system, when guests are already safely in the country and in contact with councils, and without the safeguarding checks applied to sponsors at the initial visa application point.
When rematching guests on the scheme, safeguarding checks are the responsibility of councils. Councils have the discretion to outsource property checks to trusted VCS organisations in their area. However, councils retain the overall responsibility for ensuring sponsor suitability, and making DBS checks.
The thank you payment becomes payable to those lead sponsors where it is confirmed that they have passed the necessary property and safeguarding checks. All checks within the CMS must be completed before the council begins the process of issuing the sponsor payment.
Last updated 13 September 2023 + show all updates
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Removed outdated text on future engagement programmes and funding over the 2022/23 financial year.
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First published.