Homes for Ukraine

Ten million people have now fled their homes as a result of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees says. As well as this, about 12 million are thought to be stranded or unable to leave areas affected by the fighting.

We understand that many of our residents are looking for ways to offer their help and services. Below are some ways you can support the people of Ukraine along with some guidelines on what to do if you’re planning to become a Homes for Ukraine host.

Donate

Volunteer

There are many charities working hard to provide food, water, healthcare and other provisions to those in need in Ukraine. To support these appeals you can follow Birmingham City Council’s guidance by clicking below.

Birmingham City Council: Ukraine Crisis

There are an increasing number of volunteer opportunities available to support with organisations that are collecting and distributing vital items such as food, water, medicines, blankets and hygiene materials for people in Ukraine. Your local voluntary action centre will be able to help you find any opportunities near you.

BVSC Voluntary Action

You can also help by welcoming a Ukrainian person or family in your home through the Government’s Homes for Ukraine Scheme. Members of the public will be able to nominate a Ukrainian family to stay with them for at least six months if they have a spare room or separate self-contained accommodation to offer.

Below are more details about how we are also supporting these efforts, and how to let us know if you’re thinking about taking part in the Homes for Ukraine Scheme.

What are The Pioneer Group doing to help with housing?

We are working closely with Birmingham City Council and other local organisations to ensure that we contribute to any combined efforts.

What are the options for hosting those seeking resettlement?

The most current information can be accessed through the Government’s ‘Homes for Ukraine’ information page along with a set of FAQs which can be found by clicking here.
Please read through and consider this information carefully before deciding whether to register.

I am a tenant of The Pioneer Group and I would like to consider opening my home up as part of the Ukraine refugee settlement programme. Am I able to do this?

We want to extend our vision of making lives and communities better for the families of Ukraine who are also in need – and as such, we want to make becoming a host as easy as possible for our tenants. If you are a tenant of The Pioneer Group and would like to become a host for a person or family of Ukraine, you will need to complete the below form for us to consider the request. Completing the form will only take a minute and we will get back to you with our decision within two weeks.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: No payment or charges should be requested of individuals or families that are hosted as part of this scheme.

As a tenant of The Pioneer Group, there are some conditions of your tenancy that would need to be taken into consideration before applying for the Homes for Ukraine Scheme.

The below will need to be considered before offering your room as a host:

The size of your home.
There are strict guidelines on how many people can live in each property. This is in line with housing law to ensure against ‘overcrowding’. More information about capacity can be found in your tenancy agreement.
Financial assistance with your rent.
Increased numbers in your home, even short-term, could affect any financial help you receive towards your rent or service charges. This could be a payment from Birmingham City Council (Housing Benefit) or as part of any Universal Credit payment. It could also affect some of your other means-tested benefits. It would be best make enquiries into this before applying to be part of the scheme because you could be expected to make up any difference if your payments are affected. You can find further information on the Government’s website relating to hosting and income.
Other specific arrangements relevant to your home.
Other tenancy conditions on how your home was let to you could have an impact on whether you are able to host, for example, if you receive care or support services. You will have been advised of this when you moved into your home, but if not, please get in touch with our team to check.
Insurance arrangements.
Any insurance policies on your home or contents will need to be checked to see if they could be affected by hosting.

We are thrilled to see our communities coming together to support those in need, and we want to make becoming a host as easy as possible for our tenants. For us to look into your request, please complete the below form. Once we have received your details, we will be in touch within two weeks with the outcome.