Experiences of Homes for Ukraine scheme sponsors, UK: 10 to 21 August 2023

• Around half (48%) of Homes for Ukraine scheme sponsors were providing accommodation at the time of the survey, and around half of those (48%) had been providing accommodation for 12 months or more.

• Two-thirds (67%) of current hosts said that the rising cost of living is affecting their ability to provide support to some extent.

• Around half (51%) of current hosts intended to provide accommodation for 18 months or longer; most of these (67%) said this was because they had built a strong relationship with their guests.

• Almost all sponsors (99%) believed that guests need help to move into private rented accommodation or to find independent living arrangements.

• Bias or discrimination against Ukrainians by landlords or estate agencies was reported by one-third (31%) of current hosts who have experienced barriers when helping guests look for private rented accommodation.

• Most sponsors (60%) said they would consider hosting people from other countries if there was a future refugee crisis.

The Homes for Ukraine Sponsor Survey aims to understand the experiences and intentions of everyone registered as sponsors with the Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme (Homes for Ukraine).

The latest data show that around half (48%) of registered sponsors were “currently” providing accommodation to those fleeing the conflict in Ukraine at the time of the survey. Of the 52% not currently hosting at that time:

• 75% had provided accommodation previously

• 13% had guests due to move in

• 9% were hoping to host in the future

Of those currently hosting, around half (48%) have been providing accommodation for 12 months or more and around a third (31%) for 6 months or more but less than 12 months.

The majority (58%) of current hosts report that they are providing longer-term accommodation until guests find an alternative place to live, while over a third (37%) reported providing more permanent accommodation.

Among previous hosts, half (50%) provided accommodation for between 6 and 12 months and 15% for 12 months or more. The most common reasons reported for previous hosts’ sponsorship arrangements coming to an end were that:

• their guests wanted to move out (36%)

• the host only planned to provide sponsorship for that period of time (29%)

• the host missed having their home to themselves or for family only (22%)

• their guests wanted to return to Ukraine (21%)

About half of previous hosts (48%) reported that their guests moved into independent accommodation, for example, private renting.

Of those currently providing accommodation, two in five (39%) intended their hosting arrangement to last 24 months or more and one in five (19%) were unsure how long they intend to host for. A minority reported they intend the hosting arrangement to last under six months (5%).

A quarter (25%) of hosts intending to host for less than six months said this was because they only ever planned to provide sponsorship for this period, while a similar proportion (22%) said their guests wanted to move out. The majority (81%) of those wanting to move out were planning to move into independent accommodation.

Around half of current hosts (51%) intend their sponsoring arrangement to last for 18 months or more. The most common reasons for intending to provide accommodation longer than eighteen months were:

• the host has built a strong relationship with the guests (67%)

• the host enjoys having the guests in their house (56%)

• the scheme is having a positive personal impact on their guests (56%)

Of those sponsors who were unsure how long they intend to host, almost three-quarters (72%) said it was because they were unsure what their guests will want to do.

The majority of hosts (55%) have discussed with their guests what will happen after the current hosting arrangement ends. Around one in five (21%) hosts would consider changing the current arrangement into a formal tenancy, but most (57%) would not consider doing so.

The majority (67%) of current hosts said the rising cost of living was affecting their ability to provide support on the scheme. Utility costs (85%) and food costs (46%), were the most common types of additional costs current hosts incurred.

The majority of both current hosts (88%) and previous hosts (90%) have received monthly “thank you” payments. A minority (17%) of current and previous hosts reported difficulty or delay in receiving this payment.

After guests have been hosted in the UK for more than 12 months, monthly “thank you” payments paid to hosts increase from £350 to £500. Almost three-quarters (72%) of current hosts in England were aware of this increase. Around two-thirds (64%) of current hosts agreed that this increase encouraged them to host for longer.

In addition, some local councils have made the choice, to top up “thank you” payments. Nearly half (46%) of current hosts in England had received a discretionary top-up payment from their local council. Most current hosts who received this top up said it incentivised them to continue hosting (58%).

About a quarter of current hosts (26%) have helped guests to look for alternative or future accommodation in the UK. Of those, three-quarters (73%) have looked for private rented accommodation, during which approximately two-thirds (69%) experienced barriers.

The most commonly reported barriers were:

• guests cannot afford to rent privately (66%)

• guests cannot provide a guarantor (50%)

• there are no suitable properties in my area (43%)

• guests cannot afford the deposit or other upfront payments (42%)

Around one-third (31%) reported bias or discrimination against Ukrainians from landlords or estate agencies.

Almost all sponsors (99%) believed that guests need help to move into private rented accommodation or to find independent living arrangements. The most common types of help suggested were general information on how to rent in the UK and financial support (77%).

All sponsors were asked whether they would consider hosting people from other countries if there was a future refugee crisis. Most sponsors (60%) reported they would consider hosting people from other countries, but there was variation across types of refugee crisis. One-quarter were "Not sure" (26%) about hosting people from other countries and 14% stated they would not consider hosting people from other countries.

Two in five sponsors (40%) said they would consider joining a scheme where they would not be required to provide accommodation but would provide other forms of support, like finding accommodation or employment. One-third (32%) said they would not consider joining such a scheme and about one-quarter (27%) didn’t know if they would consider it.

Guest

Within this bulletin, the term "guest" refers to the Ukrainian nationals and their families who have arrived in the UK and are currently staying in accommodation provided under the Homes for Ukraine scheme.

Host

Within this bulletin, the term "host" refers to sponsors who provide accommodation. The term “current hosts” refers to those who were providing accommodation at the time of the data collection, and “previous hosts” are those who have provided accommodation in the past but were not doing so at the time of the data collection.

Rematch

The process of matching a Ukrainian visa holder with another host after their previous hosting arrangement has ended.

Sponsor

Within this bulletin, the term "sponsor" refers to adults registered with the Homes for Ukraine scheme. Sponsors may or may not have provided accommodation.

Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme

In March 2022, the UK government launched the Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme (Homes for Ukraine). The scheme allows Ukrainian nationals and their family members to come to the UK if they have a named sponsor who can provide suitable accommodation (in Wales and Scotland this includes those sponsored directly by the Welsh Government or Scottish Government).

Survey estimates

The data were collected between 10 and 21 August 2023. All adults (aged 18 years and over) in the UK registered with the Homes for Ukraine scheme up until 8 August 2023 (inclusive), and who had not declined to take part in Homes for Ukraine surveys, were invited to take part. The achieved sample was 14,851 adults. The response rate for this survey was 37%. The achieved sample includes responses from respondents who did not complete the full questionnaire but provided full information about their current involvement in the scheme.

Percentages in this bulletin are based on weighted counts that are representative of the population of adults (aged 18 years and over) who were registered with the Homes for Ukraine scheme in the UK 2022. They are adjusted to address age bias in response rates. As with all surveys, these estimates have an associated margin of error.

The survey was conducted online via Smart Survey. Individuals were sent an email with a unique access code (UAC) inviting them to complete the survey, and all answers were self-reported. In a small number of cases (less than 0.1%), the survey was completed by telephone with an Office for National Statistics (ONS) telephone operator.

The statistics presented in this bulletin are Experimental Statistics (as explained in our guide) and contain uncertainty (explained on our Uncertainty webpage); therefore, care needs to be taken when interpreting them.

Collaboration

The survey was compiled rapidly to inform the UK's response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent evacuation of individuals fleeing Ukraine, and to aid local and national emergency response planning.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) conducted this survey in collaboration with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC).

The main strengths of the Homes for Ukraine Sponsor Survey include:

• the timely production of data and statistics that can respond quickly to changes, aiding local and national emergency response planning

• quality assurance procedures that are undertaken throughout the analysis stages to minimise the risk of error

• confidence intervals that are available in the associated datasets as an assessment of quality

The main limitations of the Homes for Ukraine Sponsor Survey include:

• the Experimental Statistics presented in this bulletin contain uncertainty; as with all survey data based on a sample, there is an element of uncertainty as they are susceptible to respondent error and bias

• the survey was designed in a relatively simple way to encourage response, meaning that not all areas of interest could be covered in depth

• while the sample is weighted to adjust for age bias in response rates, it is not adjusted for regional and sex bias, because complete population data were not available to do so