Ukrainian hosts in East Sussex get a pay rise
and live on Freeview channel 276
If you’re hosting Ukrainian guests through the Homes for Ukraine scheme you will receive winter top up payments from the council. East Sussex County Council has taken the decision to increase the monthly payments to hosts from £350 to £500 per month (for hosts with fewer than five guests). This rise will be in place from now (November 1) until March 2023.
Hosts accommodating families of five or more currently receive £500 per month to acknowledge the significant additional costs of hosting larger families. The monthly payments received by those hosts will increase to £650 per month until March too.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdThe increase will apply county-wide and be payable to both existing and new hosts. In addition to the winter top up payments, the council has also agreed to a one-off incentive payment of £1,000 for hosts who host for 12 consecutive months and who are willing to extend their placements beyond the 12-month period.
Cllr Carl Maynard, lead member for adult social care and health at East Sussex County Council, said: “Hundreds of East Sussex residents have opened their homes to those fleeing the war in Ukraine this year, offering shelter and kindness when most needed. The cost of living crisis coupled with the approach of winter means that many hosts are concerned about the increased costs they face over the coming months. The council has taken the decision to offer winter top up payments to help those residents through the next few months and ensure they can continue to offer their homes to those in need.”
Around 530 households are currently hosting Ukrainian guests in East Sussex, but more host families are desperately needed. Cllr Maynard continued: “As well as thanking those already hosting, we hope that increasing the monthly thank you payment over the winter period will encourage more people to consider hosting in the months ahead. We urgently need more host families and I would urge residents who wish to host, or would like to return to hosting, to contact us at [email protected].”