Payment to sponsors and guests - Homes for Ukraine
Payments for guests
Under the scheme, the government is offering a one-off £200 interim payment for each guest to help with living costs.
For your guests to receive their payment card, you must tell us when your guests have arrived.
At the moment, local councils arrange the £200 payment to guests as soon as they are advised that they have arrived. Payment methods vary between councils. Essex County Council will be issuing payment cards which can be used in shops, online and at a cashpoint for withdrawing money.
Essex County Council will be responsible for this payment in all districts, except for Basildon, Braintree and Colchester.
Payments to sponsors
The government is offering an optional ‘thank you’ payment to eligible sponsors.
Essex County Council is responsible for administering these payments in Essex, excluding Southend and Thurrock Councils who are responsible for their areas.
Eligible sponsors who have hosted for over six months can receive an extra £200 per month for the period of the Homes for Ukraine visa, while the guest is staying at their property.
The payments are backdated to when the guests first arrive, paid monthly in arrears.
Sponsors/hosts are not eligible to apply for new thank you payments for hosting a close family member. This applies to any applications made after 1 October 2024. You can find the definition of close family member on the tell us when your guests has arrived page.
Use our form to apply for the payment.
To submit a ‘thank you’ payment application you will be asked to confirm that:
- your guests are not close family members
- you will not be charging guests rent
The declarations need to be confirmed each time you apply to sponsor/host. If you are unable to make these declarations, contact H4U@essex.gov.uk.
Once all checks have been passed, including home, DBS and welfare checks, you will receive a 'remittance notice' from us and the payment.
You must tell us if your guest/s move out.