Be very clear with the guest when you would like them to leave, preferably in writing.
Attend the 4 month review meeting with Suffolk County Council Casework team. You will be offered this meeting 4 months after your guest arrival date. It is best if you can have the conversation with your guest(s) about what will happen at 6 months in advance of the meeting. You can then discuss the options at the meeting which will include:
- Guests finding a new host on the Homes for Ukraine scheme
or
- Move to the rented sector
You may be able to help find a new host through your friends, family, contacts at work, social groups, your local faith group or in the local Homes for Ukraine community group organised by Community Action Suffolk. If you are not aware of the local community group, please contact ukrainesupport@communityactionsuffolk.org.uk.
You may be able to help with finding rented accommodation through your personal contacts. The Government have published a guide to help guests understand how to rent in England and there is also a note from Suffolk County Council on the rented sector.
If you have a property or annex you can offer for rent to your guest, be clear on the level of rent you will charge, who will be responsible for utility bills and Council tax, the usual amounts charged and draw up an agreement. Please note that if you charge rent you would not be eligible for the HfU host thank you payment.
Encourage your guests to be proactive and try to seek out new hosts or rented property. They can go back to Reset or the charity that matched them to you initially to ask, see Recognised Providers: Organisations who can help guests from Ukraine find sponsors in the UK - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) to try to find a new host, or they can contact your District/Borough housing team if they need help with a deposit for a rented property.
For more information about the support available, please see the housing tab on the information for guests page.
Please ensure your guests tell Suffolk County Council by emailing refugeesupport@suffolk.gov.ukas soon as a new host property is found as property and safeguarding checks need to be completed on new Homes for Ukraine hosts before they move to the new host.
If your guests are struggling to find a new host, especially if they wish to keep children in the same schools, or 4 weeks before the 6 months end date, ensure they email Suffolk County Council at refugeesupport@suffolk.gov.uk, who will try to find a new host. The Council cannot guarantee to find a host in the location or timescale requested as it will depend on the availability of hosts so we kindly ask for your patience on this.
Email refugeesupport@suffolk.gov.uk when you know what your guest(s) plan is and when your guest(s) moves out. Your £350 thank you payment will then stop. Please note you will receive a payment for the final month if your guest(s) has been with you for more than half of that calendar month.
If you would consider hosting more Ukrainian guests, please let us know at: refugeesupport@suffolk.gov.uk
Government guidance on Four to six months into your sponsorship arrangement can be found in Homes for Ukraine: sponsor guidance - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
Please give your guests Your living arrangements 4 to 6 months after moving to the UK - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
10 Month stage: many of the guest who fled the war in Ukraine are now coming up to a year of living in the United Kingdom, as part of our dedication to the journey of both the host and the guest we will be completing a further welfare check to see what plans there may be for you both moving on. At 10 months of your guest being in the country an email from Suffolk County Council will be sent to you with a questionnaire attached, if you can fill this out with as much detail as possible so that we can understand what your plans are to potentially host for longer, or if you would like your guest to move to another host or into independent living.
As with the 4 month check it is important to be open with your guest about your plans and if you would like them to move out at the 12 month stage, that you keep them informed of this as soon as possible.
Also, at this stage Suffolk County Council will contact the guest via email to book a telephone call with them. It is important that we speak to them at this stage and if you can encourage them to reply to our email with a suitable time to book the call.