To seek approval for the spend plan which details how funding from the Government for the Homes for Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme will be spent.

The Government is providing funding at a rate of £10,500 per person to councils to enable them to provide support to families to rebuild their lives and fully integrate into communities. This funding is paid to the council as a section 31 grant as set out in the Local Government Act 2003 and is un-ring-fenced.

The Homes for Ukraine scheme was launched on 14 March 2022 by the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. The scheme allows individuals to sponsor named people from Ukraine. The number of people who can access this scheme is uncapped and is dependent on the capacity of the sponsors who come forward. Guests will be able to live and work in the UK for up to 3 years and have access to benefits, healthcare, employment, and other support. 

The government is providing additional, separate funding to councils to provide education services for children from families if they have arrived through the Homes for Ukraine scheme.

That:

a)    The planned support for Ukraine and associated spending as set out in the report and Appendix A is approved.

b)    That authority is delegated to the Corporate Director for Community Wellbeing to take all operational and budgetary decisions in relation to their proposals and the implementation, including the use of contingency sums and budget variations within the overall approved budget.

1.             Not to provide or commission a range of support for Ukrainian people, utilising the government funding available. This option is not recommended; participation in the Homes for Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme is mandatory for all councils across England. Both the Homes for Ukraine grant funding and the related education funding come with grant determinations that state how they should be used. The spending plan outlined in this decision reflects government guidance and has been developed in consultation with council teams and wider stakeholders.

2.             To develop and provide a different range of support services for Ukrainian people, with less emphasis on community and voluntary groups and the community grant scheme. This option is not recommended as the proposals have been the subject of general engagement and support within the council and with external stakeholders. The proposed approach will enable the council to make the best use of the funding available for the benefit of guests and sponsors, enabling them to resettle into Herefordshire and sustain the sponsorship arrangements for as long as possible.