Haringey Supports Ukraine banner

Haringey Supports Ukraine | Advice for Ukrainian residents | UK National Government Information | Information for Sponsors
 

Advice for Ukrainian residents

Welcome Hubs

We have set up 3 Welcome Hubs to offer support and guidance on various processes such as setting up a bank account or applying for a child's school place.

It is free and open to all including sponsors. There is no need to book, just pop in (the hubs are becoming very busy so there may be a wait to see one of our support workers):

Muswell Hill

  • Muswell Hill Methodist Church, 28 Pages Lane, N10 1PP
    • Drop-in sessions every Thursday. between 10am and 12 noon
    • Connected Communities support worker on site

Tottenham

  • The Engine Room and St Francis church, Unit A Eagle Heights, Lebus Street, Hale Village, Tottenham, N17 9FU
    • Drop-in sessions: every Friday, between 10am and 12 noon
  • Living Under One Sun, Bowling Green and Pavilion, Down Lane Park, Park View Road, N17 9EX 
    • Drop-in sessions: every Friday, between 12.30pm - 3.30pm

Wood Green

  • Wood Green Central Library, High Road, N22 6XD
    • Drop-in sessions: every Monday, between 1.30 and 4.30pm

Coffee mornings

HoPEC (House of Polish and European Community) Coffee Mornings:

  • Wood Green Central Library, High Road, N22 6XD
    • Drop-in sessions: every Monday, 11am to 12.30pm
      • Wellbeing
      • Social activities
      • Friendly space to meet new people
      • All are welcome

Back to top

Welcome guidance

We have created some welcome guidance for all arriving residents:

Residents will be able to find information on some of the following aspects of living in the area:

  • Advice and referrals to specialist public health services as appropriate eg mental health services, adult social care and children’s services
  • Access to local Jobcentre Plus appointments for benefit assessments and job-seeking
  • There may be some cases where the sponsor/guest relationship breaks down and the guest is homeless or at risk of homelessness. We will apply statutory homelessness duties in this instance
  • We will support the integration of Ukrainian families into our community. This may include the organisation of community events, access to translation services and working with local voluntary sector organisations and faith groups to help signpost advice and support

There is further information on local services and organisations that can be found in the below Connected Communities Welcome Pack:

Back to top

Thousands of free Ukrainian eBooks and audiobooks

Available across Europe, multimedia content provider Odilo launched a free app for both Android and iOS with thousands of eBooks and audiobooks to support Ukrainians with a range of free reading, listening, learning and entertainment opportunities.

There is material for both children and adults.

Links to the app:

Back to top

UK visas and immigration

Once you are in the UK, you have 6 months to provide biometrics to enable you to stay in the UK for 3 years. You can call the free 24/7 helpline on 0808 164 8810 for help with any questions about the scheme.

As a local authority, Haringey Council will play an important role in supporting Ukrainian residents seeking refuge in our borough. We will not only look at accommodation but also providing jobs, school places, safeguarding and any further financial support that is needed.

If you need support on any of the local service, or if you are a service/organisation that is working with Ukrainian individuals or family, you can email us at connectedcommunities@haringey.gov.uk or homesforukraine@haringey.gov.uk

The Home Office is allocating visas independently of Local Authority DBS, safeguarding, and property checks. Haringey Council has no control over Home Office prioritisation of visa processing. For updates, you can contact UK Visas and Immigration - GOV.UK (external link).

Guidance for children under 18 travelling to UK

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) have published a welcome guide for children under 18 who are moving from Ukraine to England under the Homes for Ukraine scheme. This guide is available in English, Ukrainian and Russian.

The guide is aimed at those who are not travelling with or joining a parent or legal guardian. The guide is a starting point and includes information about arriving and living in the UK, including where Ukrainian children can go for help if they have any problems and support available from local councils.

Back to top

Travel incentive

From Sunday 20 March, guests arriving in the country will be eligible for a single onward journey via national rail, bus, light rail, and coach. This will be free of charge to anywhere in England, Scotland and Wales. See the National Rail website (external link) for further information.

Working age guests will be able to apply to receive Universal Credit and will be able to apply for advance payments where eligible.

Pension age guests will have access to State Pension Credit and Housing Benefit provided they meet eligibility criteria.

Back to top

Homes for Ukraine financial support

For families and individuals arriving at sponsor accommodation located in the UK through the Homes for Ukraine Scheme, interim payments of £200 per guest for subsistence costs after arrival will be provided. The £200 Post Office vouchers are issued automatically to the guests' email addresses upon arrival to the UK.

If you haven't received your voucher, please email us at paymentshomesforukraine@haringey.gov.uk

Back to top

Provision of education

Haringey Council will provide school places for children of school age within the area.

To apply for a school place for your child, please visit our School Admissions page.

To find out about Early Learning/Education options available for children aged 0-4 years old, including free entitlement for 2-4 year olds, please visit Childcare and Early Years pages.

The Department for Education (DfE) has published a resource pack with links to further information for schools and colleges with Ukrainian students, including: 

See also: Resources to help support children and young people arriving from Ukraine - GOV.UK (external link)

Child Benefit

Anyone coming to the UK under the Ukraine Family Scheme or Homes for Ukraine scheme is entitled to claim Child Benefit immediately.

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 and Customs (HMRC) will be in touch to discuss further.

Back to top

Healthcare

In the UK, the National Health Service (NHS) is the Government-funded medical and health care service.

Everyone living in the UK can use the NHS when they become sick or injured, to help them to get better. NHS services are 'free at the point of use', which means people can be treated for free when they are unwell.

Back to top

Haringey, Here to Help

We want to make sure that everyone living in Haringey gets the help and support available to them.

For details of the full range of benefits and other financial help available, as well as employment, housing, and mental health support, please visit our Haringey, Here to Help pages.

Back to top

Community Support Groups

In addition to our Welcome Hubs, there are also local services and organisations for Ukrainian residents:

  • Ukrainian Church Services on the first and third Sundays of the month at 2.30pm in Waltham Cross at the Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception and St Joseph (external link). The Mass is in the Byzantine Rite as adhered to by both Ukrainian Catholic and Orthodox faithful
  • Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Acton, 1A Newton Avenue, W3 8AJ
  • Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral of the Holy Family, 21-22 Binney Street, W1K 5BQ

Food banks and food hubs

Please see the leaflet with the information on all food banks and food hubs available in Tottenham and Wood Green. 

Back to top

Barnardo’s free helpline to support Ukrainian families

Barnardo’s has set up the Ukrainian Support Helpline to provide a holistic support service. The helpline is available to anyone fleeing the conflict in Ukraine. Callers will be able to get help and advice on a range of topics.

The free helpline number is 0800 148 8586. It is staffed by English, Ukrainian and Russian speakers, to offer support to children and families arriving in the UK from Ukraine.

The helpline is open Monday - Friday (10am - 8pm) and Saturday (10am - 3pm).

A dedicated email address ukrainiansupport@barnardos.org.uk has also been set up for those assisting with the Ukraine response.

For more information, please visit Help for anyone fleeing the Ukrainian conflict (external link)

Back to top

COVID-19 vaccinations

All Ukrainian residents are entitled to a free COVID-19 vaccination. To find out more about COVID-19 vaccination clinics in Haringey, please our Covid-19 vaccination clinics in Haringey page.

There is also a number of useful information that can be found by visiting any of the pages below:

Guide to Booster vaccination leaflet / Керівництво по вакцинації бустера - листівка:

Back to top

Useful links

The UK Government website has information on schemes available to Ukrainians and their family members:

Immigration information for Ukrainians in the UK, British nationals and their family members / Відомості про імміграцію для українців, які перебувають у Сполученому Королівстві, громадян Сполученого Королівства та їхніх родичів:

Your rights as a worker in the UK

Guidance for parents of students who use English as an Additional Language (EAL) / Керівництво для батьків студентів, які використовують англійську мову як додаткову мову (EAL):

Helping with displaced Ukrainians' concerns or worries resources

Thrive LDN has developed a number of resources to help those supporting displaced Ukranian’s coming to the UK:

  • Guidance for those welcoming displaced Ukranians into their homes
  • Thrive LDN training: Trauma informed practice in humanitarian crisis
    • Thrive LDN is partnering with Nicola Lester Psychological Trauma Consultancy to deliver training in trauma informed practice in humanitarian crisis. The online training is aimed for professionals and volunteers in community and grassroots organisations who are supporting the response and will take place on the 10, 17 and 24 May. Places are free and unlimited.
      See all guidance, training and resources available - Thrive LDN (external link)

Red Cross

Additional resources:

Back to top

 

Page last updated:

May 9, 2023