Guidance

Homes for Ukraine evaluation: privacy notice

Published 7 July 2026

This privacy notice explains how the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) and its research contractor, Verian, will use your personal data as part of the independent evaluation of the Homes for Ukraine (HFU) scheme. It also explains your rights under UK data protection law and how to contact us if you have questions or concerns.

The notice is designed to cover everyone who may be invited to take part in the evaluation, including:

• guests on the Homes for Ukraine scheme
• UK host households who have sponsored Ukrainian guests under the scheme
• local authority programme staff
• national stakeholders involved in HFU policy or delivery
• international stakeholders supporting our review of sponsorship schemes overseas

Common information that applies to everyone is set out in the first part of this notice. A section further down explains how this applies to you specifically depending on which group you are in.

This privacy notice is available in Welsh, Ukrainian and Russian on request. Please contact us using the details below to request a translated copy.

Part A: Information that applies to everyone

1. Who is responsible for your personal data

MHCLG is the data controller for personal data collected and processed for this evaluation. This means MHCLG is responsible for deciding how your data is used and for keeping it safe.

Verian is the data processor, appointed by MHCLG under a contract awarded through the Help to Buy Research Framework. Verian carries out the research and processes your data on MHCLG’s behalf, under MHCLG’s instructions and a Data Processing Agreement.

Verian uses a small number of carefully selected sub-processors to support specific tasks:

• Bright Market Research (BMR), operating the Forsta+ online survey platform that hosts the survey
• Esendex, a UK-based service used to send survey invitation emails
• Toppan Digital, who translate participant materials into Ukrainian and Russian
• 3 independent academic researchers (Dr Natasha Nicholls, Dr Marisol Reyes Soto and Dr Gabriella D’Avino), who carry out the comparative review of international sponsorship schemes

All sub-processors are bound by written agreements that require them to protect your data to the same standard as Verian and MHCLG.

2. How to contact us

If you have any questions about this notice or how your data is being used, you can contact:

MHCLG Data Protection Officer: dataprotection@communities.gov.uk

Verian Project Team (HFU Evaluation): hfuevaluation@veriangroup.com

Verian’s main office is at:

4 Millbank
Westminster
London
SW1P 3JA

If you would like to verify that a survey invitation, email, phone call or interview request is genuinely from Verian, please contact UK-Compliance@veriangroup.com or call 0204 557 5799 and reference project reference number: C11100726. Verian is a Company Partner of the Market Research Society (MRS), the UK’s professional body for research and insight, and follows the MRS Code of Conduct.

3. Why we are doing this research

The HFU scheme has provided housing through sponsorship for Ukrainian nationals fleeing the conflict in Ukraine.

MHCLG has commissioned this independent evaluation to understand how well the scheme has worked, what difference it has made for the people involved, and what lessons can be learned for future resettlement and humanitarian protection schemes. The evaluation responds to formal recommendations made by the National Audit Office (2023) and the Public Accounts Committee (2024).

The findings will be used to inform decisions about the future of the HFU scheme and broader UK resettlement policy. A final report will be published on GOV.UK alongside an updated sponsorship policy toolkit. No individuals will be identified in any published output.

4. Our lawful basis for using your data

UK data protection law requires us to identify a lawful basis for using your personal data. For this evaluation, MHCLG relies on:

• article 6(1)(e) of the UK GDPR – public task. MHCLG has a public function to make and review housing and resettlement policy, and this evaluation is necessary for the performance of that function

Where you take part in a survey or interview that touches on health, mental wellbeing, or other special categories of data (for example, where you choose to share information about how the scheme has affected your wellbeing), we additionally rely on:

• article 9(2)(g) of the UK GDPR – substantial public interest, supported by Schedule 1, Part 2, paragraph 6 (statutory and government purposes) and paragraph 8 (research) of the Data Protection Act 2018.

In the rare event of a safeguarding emergency (for example, a disclosure of risk to life or serious harm during an interview), we may also rely on article 6(1)(d) and article 9(2)(c) of the UK GDPR, vital interests, to take appropriate action.

MHCLG has an Appropriate Policy Document in place setting out how we protect special category data, available on request.

Your participation in any survey or interview is completely voluntary as outlined in Section 7 below.

5. Information about your health, wellbeing and other sensitive topics

We do not deliberately collect data about your race, ethnic origin, religious beliefs, political views, or sexual orientation. However, in qualitative interviews about your experience of displacement and settlement, you may choose to share information that touches on these topics. All the personal information you give us whether sensitive or not is held securely and pseudonymised, meaning your name and contact details are separated from your answers. Where you share sensitive information, our researchers handle it with particular care, and we take additional steps when preparing reports and case studies so that you cannot be identified in anything we publish.

You can decline to answer any question at any time without giving a reason.

6. Where your data comes from

How we obtained your contact details depends on which group of participants you are in. Please see Part B of this notice (‘Information for your specific group’) for the details that apply to you.

7. Your participation is voluntary

Taking part in any survey or interview is entirely voluntary. You can:

• choose not to take part at all
• skip any question you do not want to answer
• pause and return to the survey later
• withdraw at any point during a survey or interview without giving a reason and without any consequences

If you choose not to take part, this will have no effect on your status under the HFU scheme, your immigration status, your benefits, your relationship with your local authority, or any other support you receive.

8. Who we share your data with

Your personal data is only shared with the people and organisations who need it to deliver the evaluation:

• Verian:  the research contractor, collects and analyses your data on MHCLG’s behalf.
• MHCLG:  receives only pseudonymised research data (with names and contact details removed) and anonymised reports.
• Verian’s sub-processors (BMR/Forsta+, Esendex, Toppan Digital, the academic researchers) – receive only the specific data they need for their role, under written agreements

We do not share your personal data with the Home Office, the Office for National Statistics, your local authority, or any other government department for the purposes of this evaluation. Where data from these organisations is used in the evaluation, it is either aggregated population-level data (which does not identify you) or, in the case of survey distribution, your data is only shared with us if you have consented to be contacted for this purpose, see Part B.

Reports and outputs published from this evaluation are anonymised. Care is taken to make sure individual participants cannot be identified, including from quotes or case studies. Anonymised outputs may be shared with the Evaluation Advisory Committee, the HFU Programme Board, and published on GOV.UK.

9. Whether your data leaves the UK

No personal data is transferred outside of the UK except as described below.

Survey responses are hosted on the Forsta+ platform on servers in Germany (within the European Union). The European Union has a UK adequacy decision under Article 45 of the UK GDPR, which means data transferred to the EU is protected to the same standard as in the UK. No survey data is held in any country that is not covered by an adequacy decision.

Contact details for survey invitations are processed in the UK only – by Esendex, a UK-based service. They are not transferred to Forsta+ or stored in the EU.

If any other international transfer were ever needed, we would put in place an International Data Transfer Agreement and a Transfer Risk Assessment before any data left the UK.

10. How long we keep your data

We only keep your personal data for as long as we need it. The retention periods are:

• contact details (name, email, phone): kept by Verian for up to 12 months after fieldwork ends, then securely deleted. We keep these for this period so that we can respond to any safeguarding concern that arises after the survey closes
• survey responses (with your name removed): kept by Verian for up to 12 months after the evaluation ends (around June 2027), then securely deleted
• audio recordings of interviews: deleted as soon as the transcript has been checked, and in any case within 12 months of fieldwork ending
• anonymised research data held by MHCLG: kept by MHCLG for up to 5 years after the evaluation ends, to support follow-up policy analysis on resettlement and humanitarian schemes (for example, secondary analysis of findings as policy questions arise). This data does not identify you individually
• records of any safeguarding incidents: kept until the project has been completed
• records of any payments (for example, participant thank-you incentives): kept for 6 years from the end of the financial year, as required by HMRC
• anonymised reports and toolkits: published as part of the public evidence base. These contain no personal data and may be retained indefinitely

11. How your data is kept secure

Verian holds the following independent security and quality certifications:

• ISO 27001 (Information Security Management)
• ISO 20252 (Market Research Management)
• ISO 9001 (Business Management)
• Cyber Essentials

Practical safeguards include:

• your name and contact details are separated from your survey or interview responses at the earliest opportunity
• only authorised members of the Verian project team can see identifiable data, on a strict need-to-know basis
• all data is encrypted when stored and when transferred
• data shared between Verian and MHCLG uses Kiteworks, a secure file transfer service
• 2-factor authentication is required for all Verian systems holding research data
• all staff and sub-processors have completed mandatory data protection, research ethics and safeguarding training

12. Automated decision-making

We do not use your data to make any automated decisions about you, and we do not use your data for profiling. All analysis is carried out by qualified researchers.

13. Your rights

Under UK data protection law, you have the following rights:

• right to be informed: to know how your data is being used (this notice)
• right of access: to ask for a copy of the personal data we hold about you
• right to rectification: to ask us to correct any data that is wrong or out of date
• right to erasure: in certain circumstances, to ask us to delete your data
• right to restrict processing: to ask us to limit how we use your data while a query is being resolved
• right to object: to object to our use of your data on grounds relating to your particular situation, where we are relying on public task as our lawful basis

Some of these rights are limited in research contexts, for example, once your data has been fully anonymised in a report, we may no longer be able to identify which data is yours.

If you would like to exercise any of these rights, please contact MHCLG’s Data Protection Officer at dataprotection@communities.gov.uk. We will respond within one calendar month. If your request is in Ukrainian or Russian, we can arrange translation support.

14. How to complain

If you are concerned about how your data is being used, please contact MHCLG’s Data Protection Officer at dataprotection@communities.gov.uk so we can try to resolve it.

If you are not satisfied with our response, you can also complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO):

Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF

Telephone: 0303 123 1113 or 01625 545 745

ico.org.uk

Part B: Information for your specific group

This part of the notice explains specifically how this evaluation affects you depending on which group of participants you are in. Please find your group below.

B1. Ukrainian nationals contacted via the Office for National Statistics (ONS) sample

Why you have received this invitation

You previously took part in either the UK Humanitarian Response Insight Follow-up Survey or the Homes for Ukraine Sponsor Survey, both run by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). At that time, you agreed that your contact details could be kept by ONS so that you could be invited to take part in further research about the Homes for Ukraine scheme.

This evaluation is exactly that kind of follow-up research. ONS has shared your name and email address with MHCLG, and onward to Verian, under a data sharing agreement signed by all 3 organisations, so that we can invite you to take part.

What data we have about you

• your name
• your email address (and, if you provided one and gave permission, your phone number)
• some background information you previously provided to ONS for example, your region, household composition, and details of your sponsorship arrangement which we use to understand who is responding and to weight the survey results, so they represent the wider population fairly

What we will ask you about

If you choose to take part, we will ask about your experience of the Homes for Ukraine scheme, including, how you found being on the scheme, your housing situation, employment, education, access to services, and your wellbeing. The survey takes approximately 15 minutes to complete (though this may be shorter or longer depending on the level of detail provided in your answers) and is available in English, Ukrainian and Russian.

During the survey, you will be asked if you would be happy to take part in an in-depth conversation with a Verian researcher. A small number of guests who agree to this will be contacted and invited for further interview. This is optional, and you can decide not to take part later even if you said that you would be happy to in the survey.

Specific protections for you

We recognise that you may have experienced trauma, conflict, and displacement, and that taking part in research can sometimes raise difficult feelings. Verian’s interviewers are trained to handle these conversations sensitively, and we can signpost you to support services if needed. There is no expectation that you discuss anything you do not want to discuss.

B2. Ukrainian nationals contacted via a Home Office invitation

Why you have received this invitation

You arrived in the UK through the Homes for Ukraine scheme between August 2023 and January 2025. The Home Office holds your contact details because you are part of the scheme. The Home Office has agreed to send you a survey invitation directly, on behalf of MHCLG, so that the evaluation includes the experiences of more recent arrivals.

Important: the Home Office has not shared your personal data with MHCLG or Verian. Your name and contact details have not been transferred. The Home Office is simply distributing the invitation. Your data only reaches Verian if you choose to click on the survey link and take part – and even then, only the answers you choose to give us are shared.

What data we will collect about you (only if you take part)

• your name (so we can contact you again if you agree to a follow-up interview, and to administer any thank-you payment)
• your email address
• your location

What we will ask you about

Your experience of the Homes for Ukraine scheme, your housing situation, employment, education, access to services, and your wellbeing. The survey is available in English, Ukrainian and Russian.

Specific protections for you

Verian’s interviewers are trained in trauma-informed research, you can decline any question, and we can signpost you to support services. The Home Office is not told whether you took part or what you said.

B3. UK host households

Why you have received this invitation

You previously took part in the Homes for Ukraine Sponsor Survey, run by ONS. At that time, you agreed that your contact details could be kept by ONS for follow-up research about the scheme. This evaluation is that follow-up research.

ONS has shared your name and email address with MHCLG, and onward to Verian, under a data sharing agreement signed by all 3 organisations, so that we can invite you to take part.

What data we have about you

• your name
• your email address
• some background information you previously provided to ONS about your sponsorship – for example, your region, when you began sponsoring, and household details – used to weight the survey results

What we will ask you about

If you choose to take part, we will ask about your experience of being a host, including how you found the matching process, your relationship with your guest(s), the support you received from your local authority and central government, the thank-you payments scheme, and any challenges or benefits you experienced. The survey takes approximately 15 minutes to complete.

During the survey, you will be asked if you would be happy to take part in an in-depth conversation with a Verian researcher. A small number of hosts who agree to this will be contacted and invited for further interview. This is optional, and you can decide not to take part later even if you said that you would be happy to in the survey.

B4. Local authority programme staff

Why you have received this invitation

MHCLG holds your contact details because of your role in delivering the Homes for Ukraine scheme. MHCLG has shared your professional contact details with Verian so that we can invite you to take part in the evaluation.

What data we will collect about you (only if you take part)

• your name and professional email address
• your role and local authority
• your views on how the scheme has worked, what has gone well, and what could be improved

What we will ask you about

If you choose to take part, we will ask about your experience of delivering the scheme locally – including how policies translated into practice, what worked, what was difficult, and what should change for any future scheme. We may invite a smaller number of staff to take part in an in-depth interview.

Where we use your views in the report, we will not name you or attribute quotes in a way that could identify you. Particular care is taken in smaller local authorities to make sure individuals cannot be identified from how findings are presented.

B5. National stakeholders (UK)

Why you have been contacted

You have been identified as someone with knowledge or experience relevant to the Homes for Ukraine scheme – for example, through your role in a voluntary or community sector organisation, an arm’s-length body, or another part of government. Verian’s research team has approached you directly using publicly available professional contact details, or via a referral.

What data we will collect about you (only if you take part)

• your name and professional contact details
• your role and organisation
• your views, expressed in interview

What we will ask you about

We will ask about your perspective on the design and delivery of the Homes for Ukraine scheme, what has worked well, what has been challenging, and what lessons should be carried forward. Interviews are typically around an hour.

Where we use your views in the report, we will discuss with you in advance whether you can be named or whether your contributions should be presented unattributed.

B6. International stakeholders

Why you have been contacted

You have been identified as someone with expertise in international sponsorship schemes for refugees or displaced people, in your country or region. The comparative review of international sponsorship schemes is being led by independent academic researchers (Dr Natasha Nicholls, Dr Marisol Reyes Soto and Dr Gabriella D’Avino) under contract to Verian. They have approached you directly using publicly available professional contact details, or via a referral.

What data we will collect about you (only if you take part)

• your name and professional contact details
• your role and organisation
• your views, expressed in interview

Where your data is processed

Interviews with international stakeholders are conducted from the UK, by researchers based in the UK. Although you may be located in another country, your data is processed in the UK and stored on Verian’s UK-based secure systems. The UK has data protection laws that give you the same rights described in Section 13 above.

What we will ask you about

We will ask about how sponsorship schemes have operated in your country, what has worked, what has been difficult, and what lessons might inform UK policy. Interviews are typically around an hour.

Where we use your views in the report, we will discuss with you in advance whether you can be named.

Version control and updates

This privacy notice is published on GOV.UK and may be updated as the evaluation progresses (for example, if a new sub-processor is added or arrangements change). The current version is shown below.

Version: V1.3

Date: 7 July 2026

Next review: 11 December 2026