Hampshire County Council has today announced that it will be paying an extra discretionary top-up of £200 per month to all Hampshire residents hosting Ukrainian families as part of the Government’s Homes for Ukraine Scheme, until the end of March 2024. This takes the monthly payment to £700.

County Council Leader, Councillor Rob Humby, explains: “We have seen a hugely positive response from local residents to the plight of the Ukrainian people over the course of the past 18 months or so, with our county welcoming more than 1,600 families as part of the national settlement scheme. This extra payment recognises both the important contribution Hampshire hosts continue to make, as well as the ongoing challenges many may be facing, in terms of cost of living pressures – we therefore want to increase payments again this winter – it feels like the right thing to do.”

He added: “With many hosting arrangements having come, or about to come to an end, we hope that more hosts may also come forward to support the Ukrainian families who wish to continue living in our county, albeit temporarily, as well as the small numbers who continue to arrive.”

The new payments will start in October and be funded entirely via the grant paid to upper tier local authorities to support implementation of the Homes for Ukraine scheme locally.

A new recruitment campaign is encouraging local residents to consider hosting, either in the short or the longer term. It explains how the Homes for Ukraine scheme works, the support that is available for people considering hosting, as well as how to get in touch for further information or with questions.

This video tells the hosting story of two Hampshire families and their guests.

The county of Hampshire continues to welcome the third highest number of Ukrainian nationals in England.

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