GOV.UK official advice and support

For all official advice please visit GOV.UK: advice moving from the UK from Ukraine.

Email address for queries

For all queries about the Ukraine crisis contact homesforukrainend@northdevon.gov.uk.

Support for Ukrainian refugees

Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, North Devon has welcomed many Ukrainians fleeing the conflict into our district, thanks to the generosity of our community.

Information and support

• GOV.UK advice moving from the UK from Ukraine
• If you are a resident with friends and family in Ukraine and need information or support about what is happening please contact the Ukrainian Embassy
• Read about UK law for workers advice in Ukrainian or the English version  
• You can make a donation via the Red Cross Ukraine Crisis Appeal
• For information on travel advice to and from Ukraine visit GOV.UK
• If you have a child in a Devon school who is affected by the crisis, please talk to your child’s teachers about any concerns you have and support you would like the school to provide
• Find immigration advice on temporary concessions for Ukrainian nationals applying to join a family route at GOV.UK
• PawSquad offers free professional pet care and advice to Ukrainian pet owners, with their English-speaking vets available with 24/7 support

The Ukrainian Ministers are asking for the UK not to send clothes, food or medicine as they are concerned that if a large amount is donated a lot will be rejected or goods will perish. They are very grateful for the kind offers, but would prefer financial support instead and are encouraging donations instead to the organisations listed above.

Homes for Ukraine

The UK government launched a scheme to sponsor Ukrainians and their immediate family members fleeing violence and harm from invading Russia. The aim is to provide a safe and warm welcome to as many Ukrainians as possible.

The scheme will provide them with a home, healthcare, employment, and other support. UK individuals, charities, community groups, and businesses can register their interest in supporting Ukrainians fleeing the war by offering accommodation and being a host family.

We are following national and international guidance that those wishing to offer donations on the ground are best served in making financial contributions, particularly to Home Disasters Emergency Committee. For more information please visit GOV.UK.

Homes for Ukraine FAQs:

Why are Ukrainian refugees arriving in the UK?

In response to the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, the Department of Levelling Up launched the Homes for Ukraine Scheme on 24 February 2022. The scheme allows sponsors to host Ukrainian refugees in their homes, and provides them with a safe haven from the war.  

What is their legal status and what is our duty?

All of our arrivals have been granted restricted leave to remain, with recourse to public funds. Anyone who arrived, or applied for a visa before 3pm on 19 February 2024 is granted a 36 month visa where they can live and work in the UK. Anyone who applied for a visa after 3pm on 19 February 2024 will receive an 18 month visa. 

A Homes for Ukraine Extension Scheme has now been introduced, which will enable current guests to apply for an additional 18 months visa as of early 2025, taking the earliest guests visas up until September 2026. Guests can apply for this extension up to three months before the end of their current visa.

As a local authority, we maintain duties to our guests by providing them with education, access to work, benefits, and housing.

How does it work?

Currently, Homes for Ukraine works by a visa being issued to a guest, who has matched with a sponsor here in North Devon. Once they arrive, the Pickwell Foundation provides wraparound support for all arrivals and their hosts, whilst we organise housing and safety checks, as well as monthly thank you payments to the sponsor as a token of gratitude.

We are really proud that as a local authority, we have the least breakdowns between sponsors and guests, and are running a really successful programme here. 

Devon councils' website to support Ukrainian refugees

Devon’s local authorities are supporting local residents who want to provide sanctuary to the Ukrainian refugees who have been forced to flee their homes. Visit Devon County Council's Ukraine Support webpage for the latest guidance and information as it becomes available.

A case study

We asked Councillor Helen Walker, who hosts a Ukrainian family here in North Devon, about her experience of hosting. 

Helen said: “It’s a joy. The best part about hosting is the little precious moments. You will laugh a lot, cry a lot, hug each other and help each other out. You become a team and a family.”

Helen’s Top Tip for hosts:

Find your nearest supplier of good mayonnaise! Ukrainians make beautiful dishes with mayonnaise – dishes that will now always remain a staple in Helen’s family’s diet. She says how the experience has enabled such a wonderful merging of culture. It might seem daunting, but there is always someone there to guide you. The council supports financially, and the support provided by the Pickwell Foundation is invaluable. Both sponsor and guests are supported – you’re not abandoned when the guests arrive and left to your own devices. 

If, like Helen, you would like to become a host to a Ukrainian guest/family, please read more about Becoming A Sponsor — North Devon with Ukraine.

Contacts

If you have any further questions about the scheme and the council's role, please contact our Homes for Ukraine team: (HomesforUkraineND@northdevon.gov.uk)

If you have any queries about the wraparound support, please contact the Pickwell Foundation: (info@northdevonwithukraine.co.uk)