Guidance

Homes for Ukraine Scheme (2024-25) sponsorship household thank you payment grant determination No. 31/7474 (England)

Published 18 October 2024

The Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (“Secretary of State”) in exercise of the powers conferred by section 31 of the Local Government Act 2003, makes the following determination: 

Citation 

1. This determination may be cited as the Homes for Ukraine sponsor thank you grant No. 31/7474.

Purpose of the grant 

2. The main purpose of the Homes for Ukraine sponsor Thank You grant is to support local authorities to make monthly Thank You payments direct to sponsoring households under the HfU scheme, including where relevant for children and minors not travelling with or joining their parent or guardian in the UK.

3. Sponsoring households are eligible to receive £350 per month for a guest’s first 12 months, and £500 per month from month 13 of their guest’s stay until the end of their guest’s HfU visa permission. This includes sponsors of eligible minors.

4. These payments are optional for the sponsoring household. 

Determination 

5. The Secretary of State determines the authorities to which this grant is to be paid and the amount of grant to be paid as set out at Annex A of this determination.  

6. The grant will be paid in arrears based on the number of legitimate payments made by local authorities to eligible sponsors who have met the requirements for approval as part of the Homes for Ukraine scheme. Payments will be made using the existing quarterly payment process on DELTA, including where relevant for children and minors not travelling with or joining their parent or guardian in the UK.

7. In two tier areas, the grant will be paid to upper tier authorities. 

Grant conditions

 8. Pursuant to section 31(5) of the Local Government Act 2003, the Secretary of State determines that the grant will be paid subject to the following conditions at Annex B.  

HM Treasury consent 

9. Before making this determination in relation to local authorities, the Secretary of State obtained the consent of HM Treasury.   

10. Signed by authority of the Secretary of State. 

Director, Homes for Ukraine Programme

UK government branding

11. The Grant Recipient shall at all times during and following the end of the Funding Period:

• comply with requirements of the Branding Manual in relation to the Funded Activities; and

• cease use of the Funded by UK Government logo on demand if directed to do so by the Authority.

12. Branding Manual means the HM Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Funded by UK Government branding manual first published by the Cabinet Office in November 2022 including any subsequent updates from time to time.

Annex A: Grant allocations  

Homes for Ukraine local authority funding allocations April 2024 to June 2024 (England)

Annex B: Grant conditions  

Pursuant to section 31(5) of the Local Government Act 2003, the Secretary of State determines that the grant will be paid subject to the following conditions: 

1. Payments to sponsors should only be paid in accordance with circumstances set out in the Homes for Ukraine guidance for councils (linked at Annex C) and should not be released until:  

a. For sponsors of guests arriving on the Homes for Ukraine scheme: 

• a visit to the sponsoring household property, by the local authority, has been completed;
• the local authority has confirmed that the accommodation is suitable, that the guest is well and that there are no serious safeguarding or welfare concerns;

b. For sponsors of children and minors not travelling with or joining their parent or guardian arriving on the Homes for Ukraine scheme:

• all safeguarding and accommodation checks have been completed including the local authority-led sponsor suitability assessment, and the local authority has confirmed that the arrangement is suitable based on the factors set out in the guidance;
• the local authority has completed the initial post-arrival visit, consistent with the requirements set out in the scheme and private fostering guidance, confirming the suitability of the living arrangements and establishing any immediate welfare needs;

2. A recipient authority must ensure thank you payments to eligible sponsoring households who request them are made as soon as practicable. 

3. Where the amount of grant paid to an authority in accordance with Annex A exceeds the authority’s actual pressures (based on the number of legitimate payments to eligible sponsorship households in their area), the difference shall be repaid to the Secretary of State. In addition, if the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government is made aware that an authority is in breach of the grant conditions above, it reserves the right to recover funding.

Annex C: Homes for Ukraine: guidance for councils 

• Homes for Ukraine: guidance for councils
• Homes for Ukraine: guidance for councils (children and minors applying without parents or legal guardians)