DAC 153/22 ID 4622630 - TEO Homes for Ukraine Scheme - Monthly thank you payments

On 18th March 2022, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) launched the Homes for Ukraine (HFU) Scheme, allowing visa applications from Ukrainian nationals and their family members to come to the UK if they have a named person willing to sponsor[1] them in the UK. Northern Ireland is participating in the HFU Scheme, with c.2,000 arrivals from Ukraine to end-December 2022. In recognition of sponsor’s generosity and knowing there will be costs associated, the UK Government offers an optional ‘thank you’ payment per month to sponsors under the HFU Scheme. The Executive Office (TEO) is the NICS Department with lead responsibility for implementation of the optional monthly payment to sponsors. The contract is for the implementation of the optional monthly payment to sponsors. It is expected there will be approximately 3,000 Ukrainian arrivals into Northern Ireland under the HFU Scheme. As noted above, there are c.2,000 here now with sponsors, with approximately 600 second home visits undertaken, 500 of whom are, or soon will be, in receipt of monthly payments. On receipt of a data set from the Department, Bryson Care will contact sponsors to: (i) verify identity; (ii) check whether they wish to apply for the optional monthly payment; (iii) confirm eligibility; and (iv) collect the information required to arrange payment: a. guest(s) arrival date in the home; b. any subsequent departure date; c. confirmation of contact details for both host and guest; and d. any other relevant information Bryson Care will subsequently contact those sponsors who have opted to receive payment, on a monthly basis, to check continuing eligibility and reaffirm bank account details.