Epsom & Ewell stands with Ukraine.
We are working relevant agencies to support people who are making such generous offers of help and those escaping conflict.
Homes for Ukraine Sponsorship scheme
The Homes for Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme was launched following the outbreak of conflict in Ukraine. This scheme allows eligible residents to volunteer accommodation and provide a route to temporary sanctuary for Ukrainians nationals.
If you want to offer a home to people fleeing Ukraine, you can become a sponsor as part of the Homes for Ukraine scheme.
If you have already applied to become a host, your details will be shared with us by the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG). We are working with Surrey County Council and other agencies to support you in your humanitarian commitment.
Further information on Support for Ukrainian Nationals from Surrey County Council.
Once the council have received your details, we are required to carry out a series of mandatory checks. These include:
- A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check
- A property check
- An in-situ welfare visit following you guests arrival
Further guidance can be found via the below links:
Translated guidance on how to apply for a visa through the Homes for Ukrainian scheme is available in Ukrainian and Russian.
This factsheet on GOV UK explains how Ukrainians can apply to the Homes for Ukraine sponsorship scheme
For more information, please email homesforukraine@epsom-ewell.gov.uk.
Support payments
£200 welcome payment - paid to every Ukrainian guest
Adults and children coming to the UK under the Homes for Ukraine scheme qualify for a £200 per person welcome payment. This is in the form of a payment card.
Guests must attend an appointment at the Town hall (The Old Town Hall, The Parade, Epsom KT18 5BY) to collect their welcome payment in person. Appointments can be made by emailing homesforukraine@epsom-ewell.gov.uk.
Please be advised that your guest/s will need to bring their ID and visa and/or their right to enter or travel to the UK with them to this appointment. Cards will not be issued to hosts/sponsors on behalf of their guest/s.
Payment cards will need to be activated before use and this can take up to 24 hours.
£600 'thank you' payments – paid to the host
Following the completion of the relevant sponsor checks, host families can expect to receive monthly 'thank you' payments.
Surrey County Council have agreed to top up 'thank you' payments offered by Central Government to the amount of £600 a month. This is in recognition of ongoing cost of living increases, and as a token of our appreciation to hosts for their continued support of the scheme.
Further information can be on Surrey County Council's website.
Advice for Ukrainians
Welcome guide
The government’s Welcome guide for Ukranians has useful information on what to do when you arrive in the UK. This includes things like registering at with a GP, dentist or school. There is also this quick guide to services you may need in your first week in the UK.
Check what you need to do before you travel to the UK and what to do after you arrive
Rail operators will provide Ukrainian guests with a single onward journey via national rail free of charge, made within 48 hours of arrival in Great Britain, to their final destination. More information can be found on the National Rail website.
As a Ukrainian arriving in the UK, you can claim Universal Credit in addition to the £200 payment.
Guidance for claiming Child Benefit
Anyone coming to the UK under the Ukraine Family Scheme or Homes for Ukraine scheme is entitled to claim Child Benefit immediately, rather than having to wait for the usual 3-month qualifying period.
People who wish to claim should complete a CH2 Child Benefit claim form and submit this by post to the Child Benefit office. The address is included on the form.
They should provide an original birth certificate and the passport or travel document used to enter the UK. Where this documentation is not immediately available, people are advised to include a note in their claim and someone from HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) will be in touch to discuss further.
For more information, visit www.gov.uk/child-benefit or call 0300 200 3100 from inside the UK.
Coronavirus guidance
Ukrainian translations have also been added to the guidance page on how to do a coronavirus (COVID-19) rapid lateral flow test.
Epsom and Ewell Refugee Network
The Epsom and Ewell Refugee Network (EERN) are a charity committed to providing essential support to refugees and asylum seekers in the area.
The Council is working closely with EERN to deliver regular welfare visits following the arrival of your guest/s. The purpose of these visits is to ensure that guests on the scheme are settling in well, and to keep hosts up to date with what support is available to them. Households with guests under the age of 18 can expect to receive a visit once every 8 weeks, whilst hosts who are sponsoring an adult/group of adults (i.e. persons over the age of 18) will be visited once every 12 weeks.
For more information about how EERN can to support you, please visit the Epsom Refugee Network (EERN) website.
EERN also offer a help desk twice a week.
The Help Desk provides one-off advice and support on a range of topics, including on issues such as housing support, help with schools, and accessing services and benefits.
Help Desk hours are:
Tuesdays and Fridays
10am-2pm
Homes for Ukraine Quarterly newsletter
Epsom and Ewell Borough Council and EERN have come together to create a quarterly newsletter for hosts and guests on the Homes for Ukraine scheme. Our aim is to keep you up to date with important changes to the Homes for Ukraine scheme, as well as local opportunities and initiatives for hosts and guests.
Please find our April 2024 edition at the bottom of this webpage.
Other support services
For physical and emotional wellbeing support
24/7 crisis line - 0800 915 4644
For adults, young people, and children experiencing a mental health crisis.
For more information, please visit www.sabp.nhs.uk/help
If you or your loved one is in immediate risk of harm, call 999.
Mindworks
MindWorks is a children and young people’s emotional wellbeing and mental health services in Surrey.
Mindworks Crisis line - 0800 915 4644
Mindworks offer a free 24 hour crisis line for children and young people experiencing an emotional or a mental health crisis. This helpline is open to young people aged six and older, as well as their parents or carers.
Mindworks also offer self-referral and walk-in services.
Barnardo’s free helpline - 0800 148 8586.
The helpline is open Monday to Friday from 10am to 8pm (Saturday from 10am to 3pm) to support children and families arriving in the UK from Ukraine. For more information, please visit this page on the Barnardo’s website or email ukrainiansupport@barnardos.org.uk.
Safe Haven – Epsom
An evening drop-in service 6pm to11pm providing out of hours help and support to people and their carers who are experiencing a mental health crisis or emotional distress. The Safe Havens are open evenings, weekends and bank holidays and are designed to provide adults with a safe alternative to A&E when in crisis.
Address: Brickfield Centre,
Portland Place,
Epsom,
Surrey KT17 1DL,
United Kingdom
There is no contact number for this service.
Virtual safe haven - Surrey and Borders Partnership also offer crisis support virtually from 6pm to 11pm.
Bereavement support
Brigitte Trust
The Brigitte Trust is an independent registered charity offering a free service of emotional support and practical help from trained and supported volunteers.
Cruse
Cruse are another charity offering bereavement support. They provide volunteers who are trained in all types of bereavement and can help you make sense of how you're feeling.
They offer a free helpline, as well as 1-1 support.
GP
For information about how to register with a General Practitioner (GP), make doctors’ appointments and changing GP surgeries, please refer to the NHS website.
NHS 111
NHS 111 can direct you to the best place to get help if you cannot contact your GP during the day, or when your GP is closed (out-of-hours).
To access this service, dial 111 or use their website.
When to use the NHS 111 service.
Urgent and emergency services
In the event of a life-threatening emergency, please go to Accident & Emergency (A&E) or contact emergency services.
Find your nearest accident and emergency service.
Alternatively, Call 999 in the event of a medical or mental health emergency.
Adult social care
Request support for adults with care and support needs.
Safeguarding
To report concerns about abuse or neglect for an adult
- Telephone: 0300 470 9100
- Email: ascmash@surreycc.gov.uk (available 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday)
- Textphone (via Text Relay): 18001 0300 200 1005
- SMS: 07527 182 861 (for the deaf or hard of hearing)
- Online referral form
To report concerns about abuse or neglect for a child
- Telephone: 0300 470 9100
- Email: cspa@surreycc.gov.uk (available 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday)
- Textphone (via Text Relay): 18001 0300 200 1005
- SMS: 07527 182 861 (for the deaf or hard of hearing)
For more information, please visit the Surrey County Council website.
Useful community services
The British Red Cross National Support Line - 0808 196 3651
Free and confidential support line, available daily from 10am to 6pm. An interpreter can be requested when the call is connected.
If people affected have arrived in the UK within the last 14 days, they can receive £50 per person cash assistance for up to 6 people in a family unit by calling the above number.
Before giving away any financial information you can check the charity is genuine. The government has also published advice to help people give safely to registered charities.
Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) Epsom and Ewell
CAB Epsom and Ewell are a local charity which provide free, confidential, and impartial advice to local people in Epsom and Ewell. They offer information and advice to everyone who needs it.
Surrey community helpline
Surrey County council offer a free community helpline which provides financial, welfare and wellbeing support.
- Contact number: 0300 200 1008 (9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, excluding bank holidays)
- Textphone (via Text Relay): 18001 0300 200 1008
- Online help form
Local food provisions
Contact number: 0208 786 8221
Email: foodbank@goodcompany.org.uk
Epsom foodbank
Address: Epsom Methodist Church
Ashley Road
Epsom
KT18 5AQ
Contact number:
Opening time: Friday from 13:15pm – 15:15pm
Ewell Foodbank
Address: Ruxley Church
Ruxley Lane
Ewell
KT19 0HY
Contact number: 0208 786 8221
Opening time: Wednesday from 13:00pm – 15:00pm
To request a foodbank voucher, speak with the Homes for Ukraine team at Epsom and Ewell Council on homesforukraine@epsom-ewell.gov.uk.or contact the Citizens Advice Bureau (Epsom and Ewell) using the contact details provided on their website.
We are showing our support for Ukraine by flying the Ukrainian flag at the Town Hall in Epsom.
Our thoughts are with the victims of the conflict and their families. We look forward to extending our support to any Ukrainian refugees arriving in our borough.
For more information, please email homesforukraine@epsom-ewell.gov.uk.
