If checks raise a concern: Homes for Ukraine
What to do if any of the checks you make give cause for concern.
The safety of beneficiaries and sponsors within the Homes for Ukraine scheme is paramount. Councils should assess whether any of the information gathered through their checks impacts upon a sponsor’s suitability.
Concerns about accommodation
Where the council has concerns about the suitability of accommodation, they should speak with the owner of the property about changes that could be made to remedy any issues before deeming the property unsuitable.
Councils should remain vigilant to safeguarding risks and where concerns arise use existing guidance and frameworks to take appropriate action.
Concerns about a sponsor
Where a council assesses that a sponsor is unsuitable, they should record this information in the case management system (CMS) as soon as possible. When you have failed a check or raised a concern in the CMS, you should ensure that you check it daily, as the government may require more information on the situation.
In cases where the applicant has not been issued a visa, the visa application will be placed on hold. Where the applicant meets all other requirements, the applicant will be contacted by the government to offer them the option to withdraw their visa application or be supported in finding a new sponsor through a rematch. The government will also contact the sponsor to advise them that the application will not be progressed.
In cases where the guest has already been issued with a visa, but has not yet arrived in the UK, ensure the relevant information is recorded on the CMS and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) will escalate this to Border Force who will attempt to intercept the guest at the border and contact the sponsor’s council to work together to provide alternative accommodation for the guest if the stop at the border is successful.
Where a council has notified MHCLG that a sponsor has withdrawn or is unsuitable but now wishes to reverse this decision, the council must raise a Jira ticket stating this so that UKVI (UK Visas and Immigration) and/or Border Force can be notified of this update. If the visa application has been placed on hold UKVI will be asked to continue processing the application. If the visa application has been issued, Border Force will be notified that the sponsor is now suitable, and the guest will no longer need to be intercepted at the border.
When reporting a sponsor withdrawal in the CMS, councils should provide out-of-hours contact details in the comments box to enable Border Force to liaise with them when the guest arrives. In these cases, the council will be responsible for urgently contacting the sponsor to advise them that the sponsorship arrangement will not be progressed.
If a guest is in receipt of benefits from the Department for Work and Pensions, they should notify them of any absences from the UK.
Take reasonable steps to inform guests
Councils should take reasonable steps to contact guests to inform them that the sponsor has not met the requirements of the scheme and set out the alternative options available to the guest.
In cases where the guest has already arrived at the sponsor’s household, the council will be responsible for contacting the guest and the sponsor. It is crucial they do this as soon as possible, particularly where there are safeguarding concerns.
Begin the rematch process
In both cases, where a visa has already been issued, the council will be expected to help secure or provide alternative accommodation, or domestic rematching. As it would be unreasonable for the guest to occupy the accommodation, they would be owed statutory homelessness assistance.
Local councils may be able to end a homelessness prevention or relief duty owed to a guest by facilitating a rematch, provided that the new placement and accommodation are suitable, and there is a reasonable prospect of it continuing to be available for at least 6 months.
You may need to help your guest find a rematch.
Where the guest is a child who has been granted a visa to be sponsored by a parent or legal guardian in the UK, councils should act in line with their statutory child safeguarding duties, including the Working together to safeguard children guidance.
If a guest intends to leave their child
Where parents/legal guardians have applied through the main Homes for Ukraine scheme they should travel and stay with their children. Once in the UK, guests should not leave their child in the care of a sponsor (or an accompanying adult relative) for a period of 28 days or more. Guests must also not leave their child in the care of a sponsor (or an accompanying relative) for shorter periods on a regular basis.
If exceptional circumstances mean that the parent(s)/legal guardian must leave their child in the care of a sponsor for a short period, guidance is clear that they should agree this with the sponsor and inform the council in advance so they can carry out additional sponsor suitability checks where appropriate.
If the child has been left with a sponsor, or another adult in the UK - further information can be found in the guidance for councils about unaccompanied children identified already living in the UK.
Updates to this page
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Changes to the Homes for Ukraine sponsor eligibility criteria - to allow a parent or legal guardian to sponsor their child.
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Information added advising that parents / legal guardians must not leave their children in the care of the sponsor for a prolonged time or repeatedly.
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First published.