Homes for Ukraine

Bradford welcomes refugees and displaced persons

Bradford has a proud history as a City of Sanctuary and a Local Authority of Sanctuary. We have always supported those fleeing war and natural disaster from around the world and we have played an important role in the initiative to support people from Afghanistan just as we have supported and continue to support Syrian refugees and others in the past. We are now playing our part in supporting Ukrainians that have fled due to the war.

People welcomed to Bradford through these schemes are treated with fairness and respect and will be supported to access opportunities to contribute to and benefit from being part of the city’s future. In the long term, Bradford will benefit through economic contribution and by increasing the diversity of our city. We hope and expect that the whole community will work together to ensure they are supported to enjoy a happy, healthy, and safe quality of life.

Ukraine

The Council has worked with its partners and the existing Bradford Ukrainian community to ensure that we have been ready for any arrivals to our city and that they are receiving the best support possible upon arrival.

The Home Office was offering two resettlement routes:

1. Ukraine Family Scheme – which allowed Ukrainians fleeing the war to join family members. More information available on the Ukrainian Family Scheme factsheet. This scheme has now closed.
2. Homes for Ukraine Scheme – which opened on 18 March 2022. This is a humanitarian route which allows people who are British, Irish or permanently settled in the UK to open up their homes, welcome and host Ukrainian displaced persons (now including family members). More information is available on the Homes for Ukraine website and on the gov.uk website.

For information on other ways to help Ukrainians please see the Migration Yorkshire website.

This scheme allows Ukrainian nationals and their immediate family members to be sponsored by individuals or organisations who can offer them a home. Sponsors are expected to provide accommodation for at least 6 months and will be eligible for an optional tax free 'thank you' payment of £350 per month for up to 12 months. If hosting continues beyond the first 12 months following arrival of the individual(s), the 'thank you' payment increases to £500 per month for years 2 and 3.

In 2025 some Ukrainians will start to come ton the here GOV.UK Ukraine Permission Extension scheme information page.

Will this affect my Housing Benefit or Council Tax Reduction?

No, this payment will not affect your Housing Benefit or Council Tax Reduction. The £350 (or £500) monthly payment is disregarded as both income and capital for Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction purposes.

The Ukrainian national is not treated as normally residing with their host so there is no change to the number of rooms the claimant is entitled to in the calculation of their Housing Benefit.

There will be no non-dependant deduction in respect of the Ukrainian national.

The host will not lose their entitlement to the Severe Disability Premium on account of hosting the Ukrainian national.

Support for Ukrainian displaced persons in Bradford

If you are currently hosting or are due to welcome an individual or family from Ukraine, please email homesforukraine@bradford.gov.uk for more information on the support that is available for you.

Other ways you can support Ukrainians, Afghans and other newcomers can be found on the Migration Yorkshire supporting newcomers web page.

Refugee Action has further information about how to support refugees and asylum seekers.

Homes for Ukraine move on support

Many people who arrived under the Homes for Ukraine scheme will have now come to the end of the initial 6 months of being hosted and others are reaching this milestone. Whilst many may continue to live with their hosts, others will now be looking for and moving into their own accommodation. Some may have already moved.

Bradford Council is offering a support package to anybody who is registered under the Homes for Ukraine Scheme who secures a tenancy. This includes guests who have already moved from host accommodation into their own tenancy. They must reside or have been residing within the Bradford district before moving into independent accommodation. If you believe you may qualify for this, and you are in your first year in the UK and still being supported by Horton Housing, you should contact your support worker to discuss further. If you are no longer being supported by Horton Housing you should contact us by emailing Homes For Ukraine at homesforukraine@bradford.gov.uk.