If you’re taking part in the Homes for Ukraine scheme as a sponsor, you can apply for an optional ‘thank you’ payment of £350 per month, for as long as the guest remains in your accommodation for up to 12 months. This payment will be tax free and should not affect your Council Tax status or entitlement to benefits.
After six months of being a host we will top up the monthly payment to £450. This will continue for six months when, if still hosting, the payment increases to £500.
Eligibility
You are eligible for a ‘thank you’ payment if all of the following are true:
- a guest is living in your accommodation under the Homes for Ukraine scheme
- you are the named ‘lead sponsor’
- you are not charging the guest rent.
How to apply
Please complete a separate application form for each individual property where you are the host. You only have to apply once per property: you don't have to claim every month.
What happens next
We will:
- ensure that you have passed the necessary property and safeguarding checks before making payments
- conduct anti-fraud checks
- conduct in-person checks to verify that the guest is still living at the accommodation
- continue to make monthly payments for as long as you are eligible.
What you get
We will pay the money into your bank account monthly in arrears.
Only one monthly payment will be given per residential address, regardless of the number of guests being hosted, size, or location of the property.
You can claim for as long as the guest remains in your accommodation for up to 12 months.
If your guests leave
You must let us know if all of the guests you were hosting have left, as this means you are no longer eligible for payments. Please email us on Refugee.Support@merton.gov.uk to notify us of any change of circumstance as soon as possible. Any overpayments will be recouped