Hosting someone already in the UK (rematching): Homes for Ukraine
How to find a new guest that is already in the UK.
Your council might ask you to house a guest or group of guests that have left their first host, either because their previous host were no longer able to support them, or the initial sponsorship period has come to an end. If your guest is in their first 12 months in the UK, you will be eligible for a thank you payment of £350 per month from the government. Once a guest has been in the UK for 12 months, this will increase to £500 per month for the duration of a guest’s Homes for Ukraine visa permission (which is up to 36 months and up to 18 months for guests on the new 18 month Homes for Ukraine visa (which came into effect on 19 February 2024).
As of 1 October 2024, close family members of Homes for Ukraine visa holders will not be eligible to start claiming thank you payments. This applies to new arrivals and those who are already in the UK and move in with a close family member.
You should think about what you need to know before you take in a guest.
Guests already living in the UK and wanting to ‘rematch’ usually need less support than someone just arriving in the country. Many guests have already found work and are settling into the area, making them more self-sufficient.
If you are asked through social media or a community group to host a guest or family who is already in the UK, you need to contact your local council to make sure that they can make the necessary checks. You can search for your local council.
If you don’t do this, the rematch won’t be recognised as part of the Homes for Ukraine scheme, and you won’t be eligible for the ‘thank you’ payment until the checks have been completed. Make sure you think about the potential risks if you host a guest without any checks.
Sign-up to host a Ukrainian in your local area
It is useful for councils to have a selection of potential hosts available should a rematch in your local area be needed quickly.
You can register your interest to become a host for someone already in the UK. This is a service for people who haven’t found a Ukrainian guest to host yet.
Updates to this page
Last updated 19 February 2024 + show all updates
-
Guidance has been updated following changes to the Homes for Ukraine Immigration Rules on 19 February 2024.
-
Updated to show that the thank you payment is now payable for up to 3 years after the guest arrives.
-
First published.