Recent posts

#91
QuoteWondering if anyone has had success opening a bank account for their guests. I have started looking into this today but all banks seem to want proof of address like a utility bill or similar and our guests will obviously not have this.

QuoteBarclays are allowing refugees to open a bank account. Once they arrive in the country they need to download the app on their phone and open an account that way.

Or https://www.natwest.com/ukraine-refugees.html
#92
QuoteGood to hear checks are happening. I m in Kent and I called yesterday to Kent county council who said it was the government who would be doing the checks 😩🤨🤨Anyone else know anything?

QuoteHope this information might help those still waiting.
This morning I had a phonecall from my council to check that names are correct of those I am sponsoring and to check my mobile number as we have now been put on the network for social services and to expect social services to come round, either before or after they arrive.
Just to clarify we have not yet had permission form for them to arrive in UK but it's given me hope that things are moving in the right direction. She couldn't give me any information on timescale though. Also wherever I will be meeting them, be it airport or ferry port ,there will also be people from my council to help.

QuoteGood to hear checks are happening. I m in Kent and I called yesterday to Kent county council who said it was the government who would be doing the checks 😩🤨🤨Anyone else know anything?

QuoteWe are in Cornwall, they have told that we MUST arrange and complete the basic DBS checks online through the UK government website. We also had to complete a form from the council about the accommodation, and include photos. All this had to be done before they would tell the UK government that the initial checks were completed... Yes, we did pay the £23 fee for each adult in our household...
#93
I am gathering data about checks in the UK ... lots of stories ... here's one as a starter.  It looks like the Government is making some rules and then the local authority interprets and adds ...

QuoteNot sure this is the right place, but just a head's up for any potential UK host's. The government will be carryout safety checks on the property. See below. If your gas system has not been safety checked within the last 12 month. It will need testing, get it booked in! British Gas is a good place to start.

What do I need to do to make sure my home is suitable for my guest?

All accommodation will be different and while there is no set expectation, your accommodation needs to be free from serious health and safety hazards. You should make sure your home is safe for your guests and that it is in a suitable condition.
You should also consider how many people you can accommodate so they have sufficient space. Two people should not be in one room unless they are: adult cohabiting partners; a parent and child; two siblings of the same gender if aged over 10; two siblings regardless of gender if aged under 10. Individuals who didn't previously know each other should not be given the same room.

Further to this we ask that accommodation:

be kept clean and in a reasonable state;
*have adequate kitchen and bathroom space;
*have access to drinking water;
*have a working smoke detector on each floor of the property and other fire safety precautions suitable for the building e.g. fire doors or escape routes as appropriate (further information on making a home safe from fire;
have a working carbon monoxide detector in any room containing a solid fuel burning appliance (e.g. a coal fire, wood burning stove);
*have sufficient heating to keep the property at a comfortable temperature;
have safe gas appliances, fittings and flues and have undertaken a Gas Safety check within the last year (see more information);
*have safe and working electrics, which a qualified electrician can help with if you are unsure;
*be almost entirely free of damp or mould;
*have doors and windows at entry level that lock properly;
*be easy and safe to move around in, without excessively steep staircases that may cause harm.

Followed up by

QuoteWe have just had our home check by our local authority, this extensive list on this post is not what all councils are asking for. Here are my takings from our visit this morning :
They are looking at the bedroom our guests will be staying in to make sure there is sufficient space for them, at the same time they are checking that all other bedrooms in the house are large enough by the 1985 Housing Standards Act (forgive me if this isn't the exact name of it) to accommodate all persons who will be living in the home. Children under 10 are classed as half a human. So for our example, we will have 4 adults, 2 over 10 and 3 under 10, so our bedrooms need to be large enough to accommodate 7.5 humans total.
They are then taking into account your living space, to make sure there is enough room for us all.
With regards to Gas Safety each council is taking this advice differently, ours is not expecting us to have a gas safety check that we would have to pay out for.
We were asked about fire alarms and C02 detectors.
They made sure we had central heating and drinking water.
They did not check our doors or windows, they made no comment about our steeper than normal Victorian staircase or anything else in our home.
I have been freaking out about this check due to posts like this one I am commenting on.
It appears most councils are using their common sense in their approach, they just want to make sure that there is sufficient space in your entire home for all of the humans that will be living there.

#94
Thanks, Grahame!
Very helpful post!
#95
It's a myth that all the jobs are in London. Looking at the unemployemnt rate regions by region in Great Britain at present (current data), it's highest in the North East at 5.5%, then next in London. The lowest unemployment rate is in the South West at 2.8% and South Wales at 3%.  My local food delivery comes with a flyer attached "we are looking for drivers" and our local engineering company has a big advert outside looking to hire skilled workers.  It's in Ukrainian colours too, though I think that os a co-incidence.  And we're short of care workers, hospitality help, bus and lorry drivers, dentists, and many many more. Some jobs you could walk straight into ... others require UK qualifications and exams and checks that may (or may not) easily transfer internationally.



With Coronavirus, we have seen major changes. People are working far more from home and far more spread out, and in London the sector which served the daily office commuters is struggling - so that unemployment figure is going to be highest amongst the easy-walk-in jobs just at the moment. I would advise arrivals that there are far better places than London. There will also be more space to welcome uests away from London - property prices there are very high, and spare rooms expensive.

On the comparison chart, beware of the "salary" column - this is about permament full time jobs and you should not expect those starting salaries. Yes, I understand you are likely to be very well qualified, but until you are well established and known to be here for more than a few months, employers wll be reluctant to invest in substantial training for the more skilled rolls, or take a risk at having to find someone else in just a few months.

If you want a big city, a nightlife, or are joining friends in London, by all means. But it may not be the best place for YOU as you look to live away from Ukraine for a while. You may be happier somewhere else.


#96
There are several local people who have volunteered to help with translation services, but what if they aren't available at the exact moment you need them?

I tried something with my Alexa, and it worked.

"Alexa, translate into Ukrainian...<your English phrase>"
(This works with other languages, too.)

If you do not own an Echo device, several models at varying prices are available on Amazon.
As of this writing:
• Echo Dot £39.99
• Echo £49.99
• Echo Dot Speaker £49.99
• Echo Dot Speaker with clock £59.99
• Echo Studio £189.99
• Echo Show £239.00
(plus others at a reduced price for earlier or refurbished models)

You don't need a monthly Amazon Prime membership to use any of the Alexa Echo products above; just download the app on your handheld device.
#97
I watched a Government Minister (Kit Malthouse) on the TV in my hotel lobby this morning talking about how they are doing "as much as they can" to speed up visa applications - they have 35,000 in, and they are processing "hundreds a day".  Hmm - let's say that's 500 a day, then at that rate it will be June before they are all processed. 

He suggested, as I understood it, that sponsors get in touch with their MP to get the MP to prioritise urgent cases.  Me thinks that most cases are dire / urgent and all that MPs actions will do is to move the more vocal up the queue.  Perhaps that's the intent - to help the UK only receive those people who can speak for themselves and be "low maintenance" when they get here. Or is that too cynical a view?

Perhaps what is needed is to say "come here with just the bare minimum of paperwork - we'll sort the rest out once you safe and comfortable".
#99
From my messenger inbox:

QuoteHello!  Sorry to bother you.  you may have such information.  because on the Internet I can not find the answer to my question.  Can I go to England with my son if he only has a birth certificate?  (only I have a passport)

Child is 4 years old

No - BUT it's more complicated if he does not have one:

QuoteApplicants without passports must have their photograph and fingerprints taken at a VAC. Children under the age of 5 who do not hold a valid Ukrainian international passport will not have their fingerprints taken but will still need to book and attend a VAC appointment and have a digital photograph taken.

VACs in Ukraine are currently closed. There is a temporary VAC open in Rzeszow, Poland. Applicants must complete their online application and book an appointment before attending the Rzeszow VAC – walk-in appointments are no longer accepted. VACs are currently operating in European cities including Budapest, Chisinau, Warsaw, Bucharest and Paris.

See http://www.ukraineuk.info/lib/ukr_002.pdf


#100
Текст цієї статті також доступний українською нижче англійського тексту/The text of this article is also available in Ukrainian below the English text
from https://www.facebook.com/groups/ukhelp4ukraine/

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has revealed that Ukrainian refugees fleeing the country will be able to claim benefits as soon as they arrive in Scotland and the UK.

Emergency laws today will ensure refugees from Ukraine can claim Universal Credit just like any Brit - but that still means a five-week wait for the first payment, but can get paid quickly if they take out an advance.

They will not have to pass a "habitual residence test" and a wait of up to three months before being able to receive income-related benefits, like others entering the UK.

Homes for Ukraine visa holders will also be given £200 per person in cash on arrival for urgent expenses like groceries, toiletries and clothes.

Refugees will also be eligible to receive Housing Benefit, Pension Credit, Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Child Disability Living Allowance, Carers Allowance and Attendance Allowance, as well as Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), and Jobseekers Allowance (JSA) if they meet the eligibility criteria.

Ukrainian refugees will be able to live and work in the UK for up to 3 years as well as access healthcare, welfare benefits and schools.

Українська/Ukrainian

Департамент праці та пенсій (DWP) повідомив, що українські біженці, які тікають з країни, зможуть отримати виплату, щойно прибудуть до Шотландії та Великобританії.

Сьогоднішні закони про надзвичайні ситуації забезпечать біженцям з України можливість претендувати на Universal Credit так само, як і будь-який британець, але це все одно означає п'ять тижнів очікування на перший платіж, але вони можуть швидко отримати гроші, якщо візьмуть аванс.

Їм не доведеться проходити «тест на звичайне місце проживання» та чекати до трьох місяців, перш ніж вони зможуть отримати пільги, пов'язані з доходом, як інші, які в'їжджають до Великобританії.

Будинки для власників візи в Україну також отримають 200 фунтів стерлінгів на людину готівкою після прибуття на невідкладні витрати, такі як продукти, туалетні приналежності та одяг.

Біженці також матимуть право отримувати виплату на житло, пенсійний кредит, виплату особистої незалежності (PIP), допомогу на проживання дитини з інвалідністю, допомогу по догляду та відвідування, а також допомогу на працевлаштування та підтримку (ESA) і допомогу в пошуках роботи (JSA), якщо вони відповідати критеріям прийнятності.

Українські біженці зможуть жити та працювати у Великій Британії до 3 років, а також отримувати медичну допомогу, соціальні пільги та школи.