Information & Support for Hosts or Sponsors

Information for Hosts or Sponsors


What is the evaluation about?

Homes for Ukraine was introduced in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The scheme was designed to allow people from Ukraine to come to the UK and live with a sponsor or host. The UK Government wants to understand how it has worked in practice, what has worked well, and what could have been better.

This research will bring together the experiences of Ukrainian guests, hosts, local authorities, UK government, and others. The results will help inform future policy decisions and improve the design and delivery of similar schemes. The results of the evaluation will be summarised in a report which is likely to be published.


Who is Verian?

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) have commissioned Verian, an independent research agency, in partnership with some individual experts, to carry out an evaluation of the Homes for Ukraine scheme.

Verian is registered with the Market Research Society (MRS), which is the world's leading research association and prescribes ethical research standards which we follow. If you are concerned about the security or legitimacy of this survey, please call the MRS National Freephone on 0800 975 9596, or check their website here (www.mrs.org.uk), to verify Verian's existence as well as that the research we undertake is real.


What will the research involve?

Taking part in this research involves completing a survey about your experience of being a host or sponsor on the scheme. This includes questions about your guest, your property, and what overall you think has been good or could be improved about Homes for Ukraine scheme.

The survey takes around 15 - 20 minutes to complete.

You can complete the survey online by clicking here and entering the log in details included in your email.

You can take part at a time that suits you and do not have to answer any questions you do not feel comfortable answering by clicking "Prefer not to say". Please note that you can only complete the survey if you are aged 18 or over.

If you have any difficulties completing the survey, please call or email us using the contact details in the 'Contacting us' section.


Do I get anything for taking part?

As a thank you for completing the survey, you will be emailed a £10 Love2Shop voucher within 5 working days of completing the survey. The email will come from the following email address: no-reply@meritincentives.com. If you do not receive your voucher within 5 working days, or you need any other support to claim your voucher, you can contact us using the details at the bottom of this page.

Love2Shop vouchers can be used with over 50 brands such as Argos, Waitrose and Boots. If you have any difficulties with your voucher, please contact us using the details given in the 'Contacting us' section.


Why have I been invited to take part?

You are being contacted because you have expressed interest in taking part in more research about Homes for Ukraine in a previous survey that was run by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Please note that just because you have expressed interest before does not mean you have to participate now if you do not want to. The survey is voluntary.

We are interested in hearing from you because, as a host or sponsor, your experiences can help us understand how the programme is working in practice, what has worked well, and what could have been better.


Will I be anonymous?

All of your answers will be confidential and used for research purposes only. No personal data will be shared with MHCLG or the Home Office (for example your name or email address). The UK government (including MHCLG and the Home Office) will not know whether you have taken part, and they will not be able to trace your answers back to you.

All reports that Verian send to MHCLG will be an overview of everybody's combined opinions and experiences, and you will not be identified personally.


Do I have to take part?

No, you do not have to take part if you do not want to, your participation is voluntary. You also have the right to skip or refuse to answer any questions or stop the survey whenever you wish.

Choosing whether or not to take part will not affect your relationship with your guest, local authority or any government department.

If you wish to withdraw your responses after you have completed your survey, please let the Verian team know by 21/11/26. Please note that if you get in touch after this time Verian cannot guarantee that we will be able to remove your responses.


What will Verian do with my data?

The information that you provide will be stored securely in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2018 and the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR). Verian is conducting this research on behalf of MHCLG, who are the data controllers.

All personal data held by Verian will be deleted 12 months after the evaluation is completed.

For more detail on how we handle your data, please refer to MHCLG’s privacy policy: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/homes-for-ukraine-evaluation-privacy-notice


Will I be contacted again?

As part of the wider evaluation of the Homes for Ukraine scheme, Verian would like to invite a small number of hosts to have interviews with us. This would involve having a longer conversation or discussion about your experiences with a researcher online or on the phone. We expect this would be about an hour long, and you would receive a £30 shopping voucher as a thank you for your time if you are selected to take part.

In the survey, we will ask if you would be interested in taking part in an interview. If you are interested and you are selected we will contact you with further information. The interviews are also voluntary, and you can choose to withdraw at any time before or during the interview.

Please bear in mind that not everybody who expresses interest will be invited to be interviewed.


Cymryd rhan trwy gyfrwng y Gymraeg

Rydych wedi cael gwahoddiad i gymryd rhan mewn astudiaeth ymchwil am eich profiad o raglen Cartrefi i Wcráin. Mae'r dudalen hon yn egluro pam mae'r ymchwil yn cael ei chynnal, a beth fyddai eich cyfranogiad yn ei olygu.

Mae'r Weinyddiaeth Dai, Cymunedau a Llywodraeth Leol (MHCLG) wedi comisiynu Verian, mewn partneriaeth â rhai arbenigwyr unigol, i gynnal yr ymchwil hon. Mae cymryd rhan yn cynnwys cwblhau arolwg 15 – 20 munud am eich profiad o fod yn lletywr neu'n noddwr ar y cynllun. Mae hyn yn cynnwys cwestiynau am eich gwestai, eich eiddo, a'r hyn yr ydych chi'n ei feddwl sydd wedi bod yn dda neu y gellid ei wella am Gartrefi i Wcráin yn gyffredinol. Sylwch mai dim ond os ydych chi'n 18 oed neu'n hŷn y gallwch chi gwblhau'r arolwg.

Mae'r arolwg yn wirfoddol ac nid oes rhaid i chi gymryd rhan os nad ydych chi eisiau. Bydd eich holl atebion yn gyfrinachol ac yn cael eu defnyddio at ddibenion ymchwil yn unig. Ni fydd unrhyw fanylion na gwybodaeth bersonol yn cael eu rhannu gyda MHCLG na'r Swyddfa Gartref. Ni fydd llywodraeth y DU yn gwybod a ydych chi wedi cymryd rhan ac ni fyddant yn gallu olrhain eich atebion yn ôl atoch chi.

Os hoffech weld yr holl wybodaeth ar y dudalen hon yn Gymraeg, neu os hoffech gwblhau'r arolwg yn Gymraeg, cysylltwch â ni drwy ddefnyddio'r cyfeiriad e-bost neu'r rhif ffôn a ddarperir yn yr adran isod.


Contacting us

If you have any other questions about the evaluation or need additional support to take part, please contact us at:

By email: hfuevaluation@veriangroup.com

By phone: 0800 0510 884 (Open 8:30am to 6:30pm, Monday to Friday; 8:30am to 1:30pm on weekends)

If you would like to contact the Data Controller, please contact dataprotection@communities.gov.uk with 'HFU Evaluation' in the subject line.

If you want to raise a complaint about the survey, you can email Verian at uk-compliance@veriangroup.com. Please include this reference number when contacting us so we can help you: C111006222. You can also contact the Information Commissioner's Office or call them on 0303 124 1113.

Support for Hosts or Sponsors

We understand that some of the questions we ask you might be sensitive. We would like to share some places you can go for support in case you need it.


If you are in immediate danger

If you feel unsafe, are in immediate danger, or there is a life-threatening emergency in your home or hosting arrangement, call 999 and ask for the police, ambulance or fire service.


If you have safeguarding concerns

If you have concerns about the safety or wellbeing of yourself, your guest, or a child, there are organisations that can offer advice, support, and guidance on what to do next. The services mentioned below may be useful:

  • Contact your local authority safeguarding team: your local authority will have a safeguarding team that you can go to for anything that gives you concern for the wellbeing of yourself or your guest. We recommend that you get in touch with your local authority if you need any of this type of support.
  • NSPCC Helpline: Provides confidential advice and support for anyone concerned about the safety or wellbeing of a child, including guidance on what to do and how to seek help. Call 0808 800 5000 (for concerns about a child).

Government guidance for hosts and sponsors

There is official UK Government guidance available to support you in your role as a host or sponsor. This includes information on your responsibilities as a host, preparing your accommodation, safeguarding, and how to support your guest and manage your hosting arrangement over time. The guidance also explains what to do if issues arise and how to access further help and support.

Homes for Ukraine: guidance for sponsors (becoming a sponsor)
Provides information on eligibility, accommodation requirements, safeguarding checks, and what is expected of hosts.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/becoming-a-sponsor-homes-for-ukraine

Homes for Ukraine: sponsor guidance and support resources
Includes practical advice on supporting your guest, understanding your role, and accessing help if issues arise.
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/homes-for-ukraine-sponsor-guidance

Contacting your local authority
Your local authority can provide advice, carry out welfare and safeguarding checks, and offer support if you have concerns or if your hosting arrangement changes.


Support services for physical health

If you need medical advice or support with your physical health, the services below may be useful:

  • GP (General Practitioner): Provides medical advice and can refer you to specialist health or mental health services where needed. https://www.nhs.uk/service-search/find-a-gp
  • NHS 111 (England): Provides 24/7 advice and support for urgent health or mental health concerns and can direct you to the appropriate services. Call 111 and select the relevant service e.g. mental health option.

Support services for mental health

If you need mental health or emotional support, the services below may be useful:

  • NHS Talking Therapies: Offers free, confidential treatment for common mental health issues such as anxiety, stress and depression. https://www.nhs.uk/service-search/mental-health/find-an-nhs-talking-therapies-service
  • NHS mental health services: Provide a range of support, including community mental health teams, crisis support, and specialist services depending on individual needs. https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/mental-health-services
  • Samaritans: Provides a free, confidential 24/7 listening service for anyone who needs emotional support or someone to talk to. Call 116 123 (free, 24/7)
  • Shout: Offers a free, confidential 24/7 text support service for anyone experiencing distress or needing immediate mental health support. Text 85258 for confidential text support

For practical, financial or general advice

If you need financial help or general money guidance, the websites below may be useful:

  • Citizens Advice: Provides free, independent advice on a wide range of issues, including benefits, housing, debt and legal matters, to help individuals understand their rights and options. Call 0800 144 8848 or visit www.citizensadvice.org.uk
  • Money Helper: Provides free, impartial guidance on managing money and pensions, including budgeting, debt, benefits, and financial planning. https://www.moneyhelper.org.uk/en