Help for Ukrainian refugees – advice for tenants
There are various ways tenants can support refugees from Ukraine:
Make a donation to charity to provide for refugees and displaced families
- Disasters Emergency Committee is a national organisation taking donations as part of the Ukraine Humanitarian appeal
- Manchester Ukraine Welcome fund, run by charity We Love MCR, is ensuring donation go to frontline groups providing evacuees with the vital support they need as they arrive in Manchester having fled war.
- Greater Manchester Community Response Fund: Ukraine Crisis supports the work of 10GM and partners to welcome and support people arriving in Greater Manchester from Ukraine. Funds raised will be used to create a hardship fund for refugees and to provide small grants to local voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations that are playing an active, practical role in providing support.
Ukraine Family Scheme visa - inviting your Ukrainian family to live with you
Tenants wanting to invite your Ukrainian family to stay in your home should first ask WCHG for permission before taking in family under the scheme. Please do this by contacting the Customer Hub. Once we have registered your details, we would then like to visit you in your home to run through a checklist and ensure your property is eligible for the scheme. Advice about the scheme is available on the government website.
Offering Ukrainian refugees a room in their home with Homes for Ukraine
Tenants interested in offering Ukrainian refugees a bedroom(s) in their home should first register on the government website and should then ask for permission from WCHG by contacting the Customer Hub.
If you are thinking of inviting a Ukrainian refugee to come and live in your home, there are a number of things you’ll need to consider such as: do you have enough room to offer a spare bedroom(s) without becoming overcrowded and if you would be happy for a DBS criminal records safeguarding check to take place.
Once you have submitted a Homes for Ukraine application, it is forwarded to Manchester City Council who will then contact you to arrange a joint visit by MCC and WCHG. They will then speak to you in home and run through a checklist to ensure your property is eligible for the scheme.
Provided all requirements are met, and you are able to welcome a Ukrainian refugee into your home, the UK Government will make a goodwill payment of £350 per month to sponsors/tenants for the property usage (not per person). Sponsorships and placements are for a minimum of six months and tenants must not charge refugees a rent or fee for staying in their home.
Helping people in their time of need by any of the above means is kind and generous. WCHG is keen to support tenants who want to welcome refugees into their home but please do inform us first so that we can ensure the property is suitable, ensuring the comfort of you and those you would like to welcome.
