Shropshire Council

Are you hosting Ukrainian refugees?

Please note that property checks won't hold up guests' arrival in the UK and on to Shropshire.

If you're preparing to become a host, or you already are one, we've compiled a couple of flowcharts to help you through the process...

DBS checks

DBS checks need to be completed through Shropshire Council. If you've paid for them yourselves through either the government site or another site this will not be accepted by us, and reimbursement will not be available from us for it. All DBS’s for the Homes for Ukraine Scheme need to be completed through the Shropshire Council DBS team.

When processing DBS applications, we can only accept the documents listed in government guidance, and can only accept paper original documents (no PDFs or e-documents can be used).

  • If you have a query regarding your DBS check please contact @HomesforUkraine
  • Please note that we're following guidance regarding DBS checks and the information requested is mandated to us, we have no say in it
  • If you haven’t heard from us when you match on Foundry please contact @HomesforUkraine so that we can start the process

Payment for guests and hosts

  • If you're a host and your guests have arrived in Shropshire please notify us using the online form (see below)
  • The information requested in this form will be used for both the £200 emergency payment for guests and also for the monthly £350 payment to hosts
  • Please note that the team are very busy and are processing payments daily so please be patient and you'll be updated as to when your payment(s) will be made
  • Please note that host gift payments will be made in arrears
  • Updates on the £350 payments have been published as follows:

E-form

You can complete an e-form to let us know of your involvement in the scheme, and to help us to help you.

Amanda Jones from Shropshire Supports Refugees said:

"This form is a brilliant idea. It helps alert the local authority and SSR that guests are here in the county, and helps with the coordination of support. The form also triggers a £200 payment to each individual guest as well as the DBS checks and house checks if they haven’t already been done.

Further to this, this form will help inform different departments of what support may be needed for the guests - in particular schools, health and specialist support.

The form is available here...

Property checks

Once you've registered for the scheme we'll call or email you to ask you some preliminary questions about your property. We'll also need to know if you own your property or if it's rented. If rented, you'd need to contact your landlord or agent to advise them of your intention. We'll arrange an inspection so that we can ensure that your property is safe and free from serious hazards. For any properties that have gas, a gas safety check needs to have been carried out by a registered contractor within the last year. This is in addition to a boiler service, as the check needs to cover all gas appliances. We can arrange a check for you and as a thank you, we will not charge for this check. If you've already paid for a full gas safety check for the Homes for Ukraine scheme we'll contact you and arrange to reimburse you for this cost.

The property check will not hold up the visa application process, and once a property has been approved we'll update the government system.

If you haven't been contacted yet, you can email housing.enforcement@shropshire.gov.uk to check we have your correct details.

If there are any issues found which lead to us not approving the accommodation, we will of course discuss it with the sponsors to see there are any others options to resolve the issue.

Call 0345 6789067 option 4 or email housing.enforcement@shropshire.gov.uk for more information.

What do I need to do to make sure my home is suitable for my guest?

Before our visit can you please check you have the following, as that will help with the inspection:

  • A working smoke detector on each floor of the property
  • A working carbon monoxide detector in any room containing a solid fuel burning appliance (eg a coal fire, wood burning stove)
  • A gas safety check within the last year that covers all your gas appliances, not just a gas boiler service

You'll need to inform your landlord of your offer to host a family if you're in rented accommodation. If you have a mortgage please check to see if you need to also inform your lender. For all types of accommodation you may need to inform your insurance company.

All accommodation will be different, and while there's no set expectation, your accommodation needs to be free from serious health and safety hazards. You should make sure your home is safe for your guests and that it's in a suitable condition.

You should also consider how many people you can accommodate so that they have sufficient space. Two people shouldn't be in one room unless they are: adult cohabiting partners; a parent and child; two siblings of the same gender if aged over 10; two siblings regardless of gender if aged under 10. Individuals who didn’t previously know each other shouldn't be given the same room.

Further to this we ask that accommodation:

  • Be kept clean and in a reasonable state
  • Have adequate kitchen and bathroom space
  • Have access to drinking water
  • Have sufficient heating to keep the property at a comfortable temperature
  • Have safe and working electrics, which a qualified electrician can help with if you're unsure
  • Be almost entirely free of damp or mould
  • Have doors and windows at entry level that lock properly
  • Be easy and safe to move around in, without excessively steep staircases that may cause harm

Gas safety checks (free of charge)

The owner/occupier will need to book the service with STAR housing by calling the following number: 01743 210214 

  • STAR will pay Liberty Group directly and will then invoice Shropshire Council in line with an agreed process 
  • Liberty Group will be able to offer an AM or PM appointment
  • A letter will be sent to the tenant confirming the appointment date 
  • Upon completion of the safety check a copy of the landlord safety record will be sent directly to the home owner and a copy will be retained by STAR / SC 
  • The safety certificate will also record the locations of any smoke / CO alarms in the property.

Further information on suitable accommodation can be found on the government's Homes for Ukraine FAQ page.

Space standards are complicated, so if you want to discuss space or any conditions, or if you have a query regarding your property inspection or a receipt for a gas safety check, you can email housing.enforcement@shropshire.gov.uk and we can email or call you back.

Other useful links

Update for hosts

Following a number of enquiries, we can confirm that your guests CAN arrive BEFORE your property check is undertaken and BEFORE your DBS check comes back. Not having undertaken either of these will not delay the issuing of visas or arrivals of guests. We can't make your £350 gift payment until these are in place, but this is paid in arrears so gives us the time to complete.