Ukraine: latest news and further information

Welcome to the Suffolk Ukraine Bulletin section of our website. These regular bulletins provide updates on the ongoing work to welcome Ukrainian guests to Suffolk, along with updates from partners within Suffolk’s Ukraine Task Group and information on how you can get involved as we continue to work together as a county to do all we can to help those fleeing the conflict in Ukraine. You can read previous editions below, or subscribe to receive future editions directly by emailing refugeesupport@suffolk.gov.uk .

With best wishes on behalf of Suffolk's Ukraine Task Group,

Councillor Bobby Bennett, Cabinet Member for Equality and Communities.

Community groups

If you would like information about groups and events to support Ukrainian guests and their hosts in your area, please contact Community Action Suffolk at info@communityactionsuffolk.org.uk or you can find details on their website community support for Ukrainian refugees in Suffolk - Community Action Suffolk.

Suffolk Refugee Support

Suffolk Refugee Support is Suffolk's local refugee charity, you can find out about their response to the Ukraine situation on their website: Update on Ukrainian refugee situation in Suffolk.

Offering Work

You can offer work to people arriving from Ukraine if you’re an employer. This includes full-time jobs, part-time jobs and voluntary work.

Find out how to offer work to Ukrainian refugees on the GOV.UK website.

To help meet the needs of the Ukraine refugees, you may wish to support national and international charities such as The Red Cross Ukraine Crisis Appeal | British Red Cross 

Further information on how to help can be found on the Disasters emergency committee website DEC Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal | Disasters Emergency Committee.

Our Psychology and Therapeutic Services team have developed a range of resources to help staff and volunteers support refugee families.

Visit their Refugees, War and Conflict resources page. 

The UK charity Barnardo's have set up a free Ukrainian Support Helpline, which is staffed by English, Ukrainian and Russian speakers. To get help and advice on a range of topics, call 0800 148 8586, Monday to Friday (10am to 8pm) and Saturday (10am to 3pm).  Further information is available on the Barnardo's website.

Following the recent updates from central government, where it was announced that all ‘thank you’ payments will be paid at a flat rate of £350, we are pleased to be able to update you are follows:

Hosts whose guest/s remain on their existing homes for Ukraine visa

Suffolk County Council will fund an increase to the rate of the government monthly thank you payment of £25. Therefore, the standard payment rate to all eligible hosts will be £375.

Suffolk County Council will uplift with an additional £150 per month once hosts have been hosting their guest(s) for at least 6 months - £375 + £150 making a total monthly payment of £525. Sponsors/ hosts will be asked to opt-in to the additional payment as part of the thank you payment claims.

If sponsors/ hosts do not opt-in to receive the uplift, they will receive the standard payment rate for the duration of the hosting period (payments will not be increased when guest has been in uk for 12 months)

As per new guidance issued by central government, all existing sponsors/ hosts will be asked to complete a new thank you payment claim during April 2025 for payments to be made from may 2025 (April hosting).

A claim will be required for each individual accommodation where guests are being hosted (i.e. We cannot accept a single claim from a sponsor/ host to cover multiple accommodations/set of guests).

Government eligibility criteria for sponsorship and receiving thank you payments in place at the time of the claim will be applied. This may result in some existing thank you payment recipients no longer being eligible to receive payment e.g. In situations where a close family member is being hosted.

Ukraine permission extension thank you payments

Hosts who are hosting a guest who holds a UPE visa will be asked to make a separate claim. Suffolk county council will make payments for eligible UPE claims at the government rate of £350.

The published government guidance for sponsors can be seen under homes for Ukraine: Ukraine permission extension scheme - guidance for sponsors.

The published government guidance for guests can be seen under homes for Ukraine: Ukraine permission extension scheme - guidance for guests.

We will publish and notify hosts of further details about the Suffolk County Council processes before April 2025.