Support for Ukraine

We are deeply concerned about the conflict and humanitarian emergency in Ukraine. In standing with the people of Ukraine we, alongside our partner organisations will help in any way we can, including resettling refugees locally. 

Homes for Ukraine scheme

The government has launched its Homes for Ukraine scheme and supporting website. The scheme will offer a route to those who want to come to the UK who have someone here willing to provide them with a home.

It will enable individuals, charities, community groups and businesses to volunteer accommodation and provide a route to safety for Ukrainians, and their immediate family members, forced to escape their homeland.

Sponsors should provide accommodation for a minimum of six months. The government is offering an optional ‘thank you’ payment of £350 per month to people who can accommodate one or more households (subject to the accommodation they have) for up to 12 months.

From Friday 18 March, the visa application route opened for sponsors and named contacts to apply to the scheme.

The government has indicated it will provide further funding for local authorities to support this scheme, including sponsors, to help families rebuild their lives and fully integrate into communities.

Guidance for Ukrainian nationals

Guidance on government support available to Ukrainian nationals and their family members. This includes the Ukraine Family Scheme, which allows family members of British nationals to come to or stay in the UK; and the Local Sponsorship Scheme for Ukraine, which enables people and organisations such as charities, businesses and community groups to sponsor Ukrainians who do not have established families in the country, so they are able to come to the UK.

Making a donation

Many people in the county want to do whatever they can to help, and one way is to make a donation.

The best current route to donate and support is via the Disasters Emergencies Committee. The UK Government has said it will match fund up to £20m. DEC works with 15 charities including Oxfam, Christian Aid and Save the Children.

There are a number of other international charities you can support:

• The British Red Cross has launched a Ukraine Crisis Appeal to support the work of the Ukrainian Red Cross to fund food, water, first aid, medicines, warm clothes and shelter.
• The UNHCR refugee agency is collecting monetary donations for humanitarian assistance, emergency shelter and relief items like blankets. It will also fund psychological support for refugees.
• The UN’s children’s charity, UNICEF, is accepting donations to help ensure child health and protection services are sustained and families have clean water and food.

Giving safely

If you’re looking to donate to causes working in Ukraine and neighbouring countries, you should make a few simple checks before giving:

• Check the charity’s name and registration number at www.gov.uk/checkcharity
• Make sure the charity is genuine before giving any financial information
• Be careful when responding to emails or clicking on links within them
• Contact or find out more online about the charity that you’re seeking to donate to or work with to understand how they are spending their funds
• Look out for the Fundraising Badge on charity fundraising materials, this is the logo which shows that a charity has committed to fundraise in line with the Code of Fundraising Practice

Any queries

Please see the government’s information page or Oxfordshire County Council’s support page.

If you are not able to find the answer to your query from these sources, please email our Community Hub via communitysupport@southandvale.gov.uk and our team will do their best to help you.