The Ukraine Family Scheme is for people from Ukraine who have a family member in the UK. It allows them to join their family members or extend their stay in the UK. It is free to apply and people will be able to live, work and study in the UK and access public funds.
Homes for Ukraine is a scheme to help people from Ukraine who do not have a family member in the UK. It allows people in the UK to sponsor someone from the Ukraine to come and live in the UK.
Homes for Ukraine Super sponsor scheme (temporarily paused)
The Welsh Government is a Homes for Ukraine super sponsor. We will provide them with accommodation, support and care in Wales. It also removes the need for applicants to be matched to a named person before they are cleared to travel to the UK through the visa system.
From 10 June 2022, the Super Sponsor Scheme has been temporarily paused for new applications. This will allow time for arrangements to be made for the next stage of accommodation. Wider wraparound services will continue. All applications made before 10 June 2022 will be processed. Existing visa holders can travel and will be supported as originally planned.
Statistics
Sponsor | Number of visa applications | Number of visas issued | Number of arrivals in the UK by sponsor location |
Sponsored by individuals | 3,260 | 2,803 | 1,892 |
Sponsored by the Welsh Government | 4,878 | 3,984 | 1,087 |
Total | 8,138 | 6,787 | 2,979 |
Data as at 21 June 2022
Detailed breakdown by Local authority can be found at the bottom of the following webpage
Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme: Visa data by country, upper and lower tier local authority - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Where to direct queries?
Guidance will be regularly updated on GOV.UK and GOV.WALES, so please ensure you regularly check the websites for the latest advice and support. The Welsh Government’s Sanctuary website provides information about rights and entitlements for people coming from Ukraine.
Accommodation
Due to the unprecedented applications to the WG Super Sponsor Scheme, Welsh Ministers have taken a decision that for June there will be a temporary pause in allowing new applications.
We have now had over 600 Ukrainians arrive in our Welcome Centres and these are now full. However, there are still large numbers of people receiving visas and travelling to Wales that need to be provided with safe accommodation.
A key priority remains to urgently facilitate more rapid move-on from Welcome Centres at scale. Until such time as move on starts to match and exceed arrivals the pressure on the system and use of hotel rooms across Wales will increase, with added complexity.
It is expected that stays in hotel accommodation will only be until suitable accommodation or capacity is available in a Welcome Centre.
The basic level of support that will be required is:
- translated materials explaining the situation, what will happen next and what support to expect are made available to all arrivals;
- cash or pre-paid cards provided to arrivals in line with guidance;
- undertake an initial welfare check, ideally in person;
- ascertain whether there are any immediate health needs. If arrivals are reporting to be unwell, advice should be sought from the NHS 111 service; and
- a level of support to help arrivals settle into the local area, this might be in conjunction with local voluntary or third sector groups.
Volunteering
If you need volunteers to help with your response, you can register on Volunteering Wales and start adding and offering your own opportunities using the category ‘Ukraine’: https://volunteering-wales.net/
Alternatively, contact Powys Volunteer Centre for support and guidance about organising volunteer activities
Tools
The following is a link to free helpline graphics which you might find useful: Published Assets (assetbank-server.com)
