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What options are available?

We understand that hosting is not forever and there may be a point when you are unable to continue hosting. Please get in contact with us as soon as possible so we can work with you and your guest to find alternative living arrangements.

There are four alternatives to hosting:

  1. Transfer to rental agreement
  2. Guest finds their own rental accommodation
  3. Re-matching
  4. Threatened with homelessness

Advice for speaking to your guest about ending your hosted agreement

Information on Council tax, Utility bills and Universal Credit's Housing Element

1. Transfer your sponsorship to a rental/lodging agreement

You may wish to approach your guest and offer them the opportunity to rent the accommodation they are currently living as part of a rental agreement. This can be particularly successful for hosts who have been letting holiday properties or annexes to guests.

We encourage you to create a standing agreement between yourself and the guest. Please include the amount of rent to be paid, the date of the payment and the details of who will receive that payment. This document can be signed by both guest and host and be shown to the Job Centre to enable guests can claim additional universal credits to cover housing expenditure.

If you are interested in this as an alternative to hosting, please get in contact with one of the team on Homes For Ukraine Support

2. Renting private accommodation  

EDDC are operating a Private Rented Grant Scheme (PRS). This scheme provides financial assistant for guests looking to rent their own property.

Guests are entitled to:

  • Deposit (up to 5 weeks rent in line with government policy)
  • Rent in advance (up to 6 months – upon request)
  • Furniture allowance - 75% of one month’s rent from approved shops and from essentials list
  • Landlord incentive – an additional month's rent for signed a 6-month tenancy.
  • (Watch the video explaining how PRS scheme works)

Conditions for accessing the PRS:

  1. Have a Homes for Ukraine visa
  2. Be entering in to the first UK tenancy
  3. Affordability
  4. Suitability

Affordability:

Guests must be able to afford the property.

To establish their affordability, they will be asked to complete a financial assessment. This assessment is completed by a third party called ‘Home Maker’.

The assessment takes in to account all income streams (Universal credit, employment income etc) and expenditure.

We encourage guests to be as honest and upfront about their income and expenditure to ensure the report provides an accurate figure.

Suitability:

The property must be a suitable size for the household.

For example, a couple may rent a 1-bedroom property but a family with 2 children aged over 12 and of opposite sexes must rent a 3-bed property.

For further details on overcrowding guidance please see the Shelter website 

The property must also meet the needs of the household.

For example, if one resident of the household cannot go upstairs the property would need a downstairs bedroom and toilet or be over one floor like a bungalow or ground floor flat.

If you are unsure if a property is suitable, please contact you Resettlement Officer.

Please note EDDC will need at least a week to process PRS grant monies.

Searching for properties:

We strongly encourage guests to search for their own property using sites such as:

The Resettlement team can liaise with landlords/ letting agents to explain our grant scheme as well as support guests booking viewings and making applications for properties.

3. Re-matching

EDDC Resettlement team provide a re-matching service.

Please notify them as soon as possible if you are no longer to host. Your Resettlement Officer worker will liaise with your guest and offer them suitable alterative hosts and facilitate re-matching meetings. We strongly encourage guests to accept re-match suggestions.

Please note we have very few remaining hosts who are able to offer re-matched accommodation.

4. Threatened with homelessness

In the worst- case scenario, your guest is unable to find any alternative accommodation guests can declare themselves homeless. By law East Devon Housing Solutions team will carry out an assessment to check if your guest is eligible for emergency housing.

Your Resettlement Officer can refer you to the Housing Solutions team if your guest is facing homelessness within the next 56 days. Please note this is a last resort and not all guests will be eligible for emergency housing.

To find out more you can read through the Shelter UK Guidance- "How to ask the council for homeless help"

Advice for speaking to your guest about ending your hosted agreement

Your allocated Resettlement Officer will be able to support you discussing with you and your guest the options open to them once your hosting agreement has come to an end.

Please contact them as soon as possible so we can formulate a plan.

There are also some video resources available online which can give you some support Homes for Ukraine - Private Rent.

Planning for the end of hosting is a 90-minute interactive training session for hosts. It will help you understand what housing options your guests may have when your hosting comes to an end and will help you plan for the end of hosting from the very beginning. We will discuss tools and techniques to help your guests to prepare for living independently, navigating systems on their own and make informed decisions about their future.

Check for dates here: Events Schedule

Council Tax

Guests are entitled to 100% discretionary discount on their council tax. This can be applied for by emailing counciltax@eastdevon.gov.uk and including the address of the property, the names and ages of all those residing in the property.

Utility bills

Resettlement Officers are on hand to help support guests setting up utilities, including Wi-Fi, water and energy.

Please note we cannot advise what companies to use or directly access individuals accounts. We can call energy companies with guests present to ask for advice or support with general enquiries.

Universal credit

Ukrainians will need to apply for ‘Housing element’ of universal credit once they move into their property. Their allocated Resettlement Officer will be able to support them with this and setting up utility bills etc.

Guests can use benefits calculates Benefits calculators to get a rough estimate of what they may be entitled to, but this will also be listed in their financial assessments.