About the Homes for Ukraine scheme 

People wanting to offer a home to people fleeing Ukraine can become a sponsor as part of the Homes for Ukraine scheme. 

If you already know who you want to sponsor, you can help them apply under the Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme. You can find out more about the scheme on the Government website here. 

If you do not already know who you want to sponsor, you can register your interest on the Government website here so long as you can offer a spare room or home for at least 6 months, have leave to remain in the UK for at least six months and do not have a criminal record. 

More information about the scheme is available on the same Government page and via FAQs here. 

What support is available in Shropshire? 

All sorts of events, groups and support networks have been organised locally and across Shropshire with many volunteers giving up lots of time to help refugees feel welcome and make their arrival as smooth as possible. 

Shropshire Council has collated a wide range of resources on the Homes for Ukraine section of its website here. This includes information on healthcare, education, money, travel, activities and far more. The FAQ section includes useful answers on general and Shropshire-specific questions.  

Shropshire Supports Refugees is coordinating a support network across the county. You can find its website here and its Facebook page here.  
It has a community hub in the Riverside Shopping Centre in Shrewsbury and has recently also opened hubs in Oswestry at the Guildhall (open Tuesdays and Thursdays 10am-2pm) and in Wem WHEN/WHERE 

Help, I have sponsored a refugee but they are stuck waiting for a visa 

The UK Visa and Immigration Department is responsible for issuing visas. It has detailed guidance about applying for a visa under the Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme here. 

If this guidance has been followed but the visa has not been issued please first contact UKVI to find out why and if they can speed up the process. If you are not satisfied with the response, you can contact Helen who may be able to help investigate the matter. 

When reaching out to Helen, it is important you provide the following: 

• Sponsor’s name 
• Applicant’s name 
• Applicant’s DOB 
• Visa application (GWF) number 

Unfortunately, the matter cannot be investigated without these details.