As of the 30th September 2023, 717 Ukrainian guests have arrived in Herefordshire. There are currently over 320 guests staying with 125 hosts.
This additional monthly payment of £200 means that each sponsor will receive a total of £700 per month between November 23 and March 24. Thereafter the monthly payments will be £500. If sponsors start hosting Ukrainian guests during this period, they will be paid the additional winter payment pro rata for the months of the guests’ stay. Based on current figures, the cost of this additional payment will be approximately £125,000.
The decision being made is comparable with the Record of Officer Decision taken on 02.12.22, which also saw sponsors receive additional winter payments over the same five months in 2022/23 to £700 per month.
It should be noted that Herefordshire Council has already decided (Record of Officer Decision – 22.03.23) to top up the Government’s £350 payment to sponsors whose guests have been with them for up to a year, so that all sponsors receive £500 per month. The payment to hosts for guests after a year will be maintained at £500, as this is the amount of the Government’s increased payment for the second year.
Payments will be made through the Homes for Ukraine operational team. The team already manage the thank you payments to hosts.