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Welcome to your dedicated newsletter for Homes for Ukraine Hosts in East Sussex.
In this final HFU newsletter of 2024, we draw attention to the important, and long-awaited update from central government on the Ukrainian Permission Extension (UPE) scheme.
We’ve an equally important update on host payments that will affect all hosts from April 2025.
With this being Christmas we are, of course, also including our regular round up of ‘what’s on’ across East Sussex. We hope you're able to join some of the festivities, which run until early January 2025.
This month, we have the heart-warming hosting story from Moira McMillan. Moira supported her young guest Volodymyr to gaining and beginning a course at university this year.
All of us at HFU would like to sign off 2024 by wishing our hosts and guests a happy Christmas, and to give you all our very best wishes for the New Year to come.
Thank you for all that you have done and continue to do.
Please note - over the Christmas and New Year period most services will close during the national bank holidays on the 25 and 26 December and the 1 January.
The UK government has announced that Thank You payments to hosts will continue during the 18 months guests are on the Ukrainian Permission Extension(UPE) visa.
Thank You payments for all hosts (both Homes for Ukraine and UPE) will be paid at £350 a month from 1 April 2025.
We'd like to invite hosts to contact us with any comments, concerns or suggestions about the changes by email at Ukraine@eastsussex.gov.uk by the 10 January 2025.
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The UPE scheme opens for applications on 4 February 2025. The scheme grants guests a further 18 months stay in the UK.
The UK Government has provided further details about applying for the Ukrainian Permission Extension (UPE) scheme. This includes details on eligibility and application process and information on the documentation needed to apply.
It’s important guests read and fully understand the details contained in the guidance when applying to the Ukraine Permission Extension scheme.
Ukrainians in the UK on the Ukraine visa schemes can apply for the UPE visa scheme 28 days before their existing visa expires.
Further details regarding thank you payments can be found in our host letter.
Has your guest applied for their eVisa yet? If not, they must apply before 31 December.
Most guests will need to prove their immigration status electronically by using an eVisa in 2025.
It’s important to note that:
- creating a UKVI account does not change or remove their current immigration status, or affect their rights in the UK
- guests must keep their UKVI account up to date with their latest passport/travel document and contact details
- guests will need their in-date physical immigration documents when travelling internationally. Guests are not be permitted to travel without a valid passport
- if a passport is due to expire, it’s the guest’s responsibility to apply for renewal. Contact the Ukrainian Embassy in London or Edinburgh for advice on how to do this.
Applying is easy
Support is available for visa holders to move to eVisas.
Guests can get help with their online application – including support by phone and email if they need support with IT-related aspects of creating a UKVI account.
Support is also available in East Sussex from People Matter Trust
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 Over the Christmas and New Year period most services will close during the national bank holidays on the 25 and 26 December and the 1 January.
However, services may take a longer break with many shutting their offices from 23 December to 2 January.
This includes our Homes for Ukraine contact centre.
- Please note - our service will close for contact at 4pm on 20 December and will re-open at 10am on 2 January 2025.
Local voluntary sector services will also have limited or no availability.
If you have any concerns about accessing services for you or your guest, please email us at ukraine@eastsussex.gov.uk before the 20 December.
The county council’s Christmas and New Year opening times. This page also has further links for the opening hours and Christmas closure dates of District and Borough Councils within East Sussex:
Unsurprisingly, a lot of Christmas events are being held for the next few weeks in our communities. We’ve collected some events happening from mid-November to mid-December. These are bound to inspire and get you in the festive spirit.
Easier way to get about
If you find it hard to get around East Sussex because you live in areas with limited or no public transport then why not try Flexibus.
The on-demand ride share service can help connect you with your local area and the wider public transport network so you can visit more of our wonderful county.
Flexibus operates Monday to Saturday 7am-7pm, excluding Bank Holidays.
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Jobs round-up
The latest jobs for guests interested in a new career?
Is your guest looking for a new job? The latest selection of roles and learning and training opportunities to help your guest get the job they want is available online.
Being a host: my story so far...
Another year has rolled by since Moira McMillan wrote about her hosting experience. Here she updates us on what has happened since then.
I am happy to report a positive on-going situation. I decided early in 2022 that, having available rooms, I should help those in danger who wished to flee war. I did so without any worries at all. So my three guests - Olena, her three year old and her 15-year-old cousin Volodymyr - arrived in Hartfield in June 2022 and everyone settled in quickly.
Gained so much
Things changed when Olena decided to return to Kyiv in October that year. This presented everyone with a dilemma since arrangements would have to be made for the care of an unaccompanied minor. Thankfully, after much scrutiny, in the December I was told Volodymyr could stay with me; he was allocated a social Senior Social Worker from the Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children Service.
Volodymyr’s mother has made a couple of trips to Hartfield ,including Ukrainian Christmas 2022 with her young daughter. They arrived with gifts and ingredients for some amazing traditional Christmas dishes, which were enjoyed by all.
His family’s gratitude is frequently expressed, but in all honesty I have gained as much through this whole experience. I have learned a lot about Ukrainian culture and way of life. However my attempts at trying to learn the Ukrainian language failed at first post!
It is interesting being in a caring capacity whilst not being his parent. We’ve joked about how that means I can’t nag him- but I do!
Excelling at school
Volodymyr attended Imberhorne School where the staff were very caring and very early on realised, as did I, that he would do well, as indeed he has done. In Year 12 he studied for A-Level and BTech subjects, passed GCSE English, and studied online for his Ukrainian University entrance. Sadly his dream of attending University in Ukraine, despite achieving top grades, wasn’t to be.
This summer I am very proud to say that our star pupil passed A-Level Economics, Maths, and BTech Double Business, and he is now an undergraduate at Mancheter University. Proud moment all round. I am now an “emptynester” once again.
Anxious wait
As I write this Volodymyr has come back “home” for the weekend and is visiting his
friends in Forest Row and East Grinstead - and sweeping leaves off my drive!
I think the only problems have been of an administrative nature, ESCC and Wealden got their act together, not so central Government in the early days such as linking up with families and the tedious visa process (now much improved I’m told).
We now anxiously wait to hear whether permits to stay will be extended beyond the 18-month extensions on offer from January 2025. Hopefully Volodymyr, among many other deserving people, will be able to gain permission to stay to at least complete his degree and remain here as long as a return to Ukraine remains just a dream.
Welfare checks
It's really important to us that all Ukrainian guests are safe and well. As we continue to carry out welfare visits for all guests who have been living with their hosts for six months or more.
The purpose of the welfare visit is to check guests are safe and well, confirm your guests are still living at your property and to provide advice, guidance and information to you and your guest(s). It also provides you the opportunity to express any concerns or difficulties you might be having. We would appreciate the cooperation of guests and hosts when welfare visits are arranged with you.
Useful contacts
Homes for Ukraine contact centre. If you need advice, call 01273 337010 (pick Option 1 to speak to someone in English, Option 2 to speak to someone in Ukrainian) or email ukraine@eastsussex.gov.uk.
If you found this a useful guide to hosting our Ukrainian guests, then why not share it with a friend so they can sign up to our monthly newsletter and stay informed of all the latest Homes for Ukraine news. You can read previous newsletters at our host newsletter archive.
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