The Homes for Ukraine scheme

Handelsbanken is proud to support the Homes for Ukraine scheme. This government scheme allows you to volunteer accommodation to a Ukrainian national or the immediate family member of a Ukrainian national who was resident in Ukraine before 1 January 2022.  

The scheme is initially open for visa applications from Ukrainians and immediate family members who already have named people in the UK willing to sponsor them. Either the prospective sponsor or the person wishing to be sponsored can complete the application.

If you want to be a sponsor but you don’t personally know anyone fleeing Ukraine, you can register your interest on the government’s webpage:

Please contact your branch to let them know you would like to be a sponsor before registering your interest. 

In advance of deciding if you want to offer accommodation, it’s worth considering the following:

• Think about the financial impact of hosting non-paying guests in your own home or unoccupied, self-contained accommodation. The optional £350 ‘thank you’ monthly payment from the government may not be enough to cover the additional costs you might pay, such as higher energy bills. 
• Your local authority may carry out standard security and safety checks and visit your accommodation to make sure everything is in place for you and your guest(s).
• Check if you need to let your home insurance provider know in case it impacts your policy.