We stand with Ukraine: Help and support

The UK government has produced a Welcome Guide for Ukrainians arriving in the UK . This includes information about healthcare, education and visa services. Some popular links are included below.

• For visas, the government has set up a free 24/7 helpline. Please visit GOV.UK for more details.
• Find out how new arrivals can apply for a school place.
• Find out more about vaccinations for migrants.

Brent has a number of speciality shops selling Eastern European food, which may be of interest.

Online resources

• Odilo: free access to reading, listening, learning and entertainment resources. App available to download via Android and iOS.

As the most diverse borough in the UK we know that lots of our residents, including Ukrainian and Russian citizens, feel strongly about the situation and will want to help those affected by the invasion.

The council is not collecting donations directly, but we have compiled a list of organisations and appeals that residents might consider supporting.

• Disaster Emergency Committee has launched a Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal to support DEC charities and their local partners in Ukraine and in neighbouring countries to help provide food, water, shelter and medical assistance. The UK Government will match every pound up to £20 million donated by the public to this appeal.
• UNHCR is urgently upscaling relief operations across Ukraine and in neighbouring countries to support fleeing civilians. Urgent needs include shelter, relief items such as blankets, and specialist protection – all rely on voluntary donations.
• Save The Children has launched a Ukraine appeal in support of children and families that are in danger across the region. The charity is working to distribute essential supplies and winter kits of clothing and blankets, as well as providing cash and voucher assistance to families, offering mental health and psychosocial support and providing access to education.
• International Rescue Committee is raising funds to help provide medical care, emergency food and other critical aid to families affected by conflict. They are working with local partners in Poland and Ukraine, to quickly mobilise resources that will provide lifesaving support to people forced to flee their homes.
• International Committee of the Red Cross is working alongside its partners in the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement to save and protect the lives of victims of the conflict in Ukraine.
• British Red Cross is calling for donations to the Disaster Emergency Committee appeal in support of humanitarian aid charities. Currently, the Ukrainian Red Cross Society (URCS) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), together with fellow Red Cross National Societies in border countries, are working to get vital help to those impacted by this crisis.
• Choose Love is working to get urgent support to the organisations stepping up to provide vital aid and services to those still in and fleeing the country. This includes: emergency medical care, food, shelter, clothes, legal support, support for the LGBTQIA+ community and mental health support.
• British Ukrainian Aid supports people suffering from the war and humanitarian crisis in Ukraine by aligning UK and Ukrainian efforts. They offer assistance to vulnerable individuals who have been physically, mentally or socially disadvantaged, including the injured and wounded, orphaned children, the elderly, internally displaced persons and families who have lost their main earners.
• With Ukraine Global Support Fund is a special fund to support Ukraine set up by the Embassy of Ukraine in the UK.
• Humanity & Inclusion UK (HI UK) has deployed a team of emergency experts to Ukraine and neighbouring countries to assess the humanitarian situation. Our priority is to assist the most vulnerable affected populations, including injured people, people with disabilities, elderly people and those with chronic illnesses.
• Work Rights Centre provides advice in Ukrainian and other Eastern European languages. Their Ukrainian team member focuses on supporting vulnerable migrants on seasonal worker visas, and others who can escape the conflict and come to the UK using the EU Settlement Scheme. The Work Rights Centre also helps vulnerable migrants access employment protection and social security in the UK.
• East European Resource Centre provides information, advice and support to people from Central and Eastern Europe. Their services are open for people seeking to join their family members in the UK through the EU Settlement Scheme, and will shortly launch a dedicated programme to support Ukrainians coming to and in the UK.
• Settled provides free multilingual information, advice and support in different languages to EU citizens in the UK. Their services are open to people seeking to join the family members in the UK through the EU Settlement Scheme. They are accredited to give immigration advice up to OISC 3. Services are being expanded to meet the needs of Ukrainians coming to and in the UK.
• Here for Good partners with law firms to deliver free high quality legal advice to Europeans and their family members living in the UK. They are fundraising to expand their services to support Ukrainian nationals during the current crisis.

Homes for Ukraine is a government scheme that matches volunteers who want to offer a home to people fleeing Ukraine following the invasion.

The Council is working closely with Government departments to deliver the Homes for Ukraine scheme.

If you have volunteered to be a host and you have been matched with individuals and families, here’s what you can expect:

• You will receive a telephone call from our Integration Support Team who are preparing to support guests from Ukraine when they arrive.
• You will be asked to share information about the people that live in your house.  All adults are required to complete a DBS check (including those who are aged 16+ where there is a guest who is a child).
• We will arrange to visit your home to check that it is suitable.
• If you rent your property you will need to show written consent from your landlord to confirm support for additional people to live in your home.
• Our Integration Support Team will be on hand to support Ukrainian guests – they will offer English as a second language courses (often called ESOL), help with benefit claims and school places.
• Your Ukrainian guests will also get a financial payment on arrival to help them settle in.

Please note that the Council is not responsible for issuing Visas. If you have enquiries about a Visa application, please visit the Government website for more information and for details of their helpline.

Resources for hosts

• Helping your guests settle into Brent
• What to expect from Brent Council

If you have already applied to be a sponsor and have questions, please email: ukrainiansupport@brent.gov.uk