Issue - meetings

Cllr Kathy Williams, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care Delivery, sought Cabinet approval to utilise Homes for Ukraine (HFU) Scheme grant funding received by the council from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) to increase host payments from April 2023 to encourage the continuation of sponsorship arrangements, and to provide housing incentives to help Ukrainian guests transition to the next phase of the HFU scheme.

Having considered all of the information, Cabinet noted the report and

RESOLVED to

Approve the following allocations of the £10,500 per guest tariff funding (£5,900 for each guest arrival from 1st January 2023) from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities in the form of the HFU Scheme Section 31 Grant, in addition to the allocations previously agreed by Cabinet/Cabinet Members and detailed in the Background Documents:

1. Up to £972,600 to all existing and new hosts participating in the Homes for Ukraine Scheme, under which each such host shall receive a host payment of £600 per month from 1st April 2023 until 31st March 2024, as outlined in Appendix 1 of this report. Such funding will be authorised by the County Council for each host and administered retrospectively by the relevant District Council.

2. Up to £991,620 to Ukrainian guests pursuant to a new ‘deposit and rent in advance’ scheme, under which each guest group shall, from 1^st April 2023 for a maximum of two years, be eligible to receive a standard 5-week deposit and month’s rent in advance, to assist them in moving to the Private Rental Sector (PRS) as outlined in Appendix 2 of this report. Such funding shall be allocated by the County Council following completion of satisfactory checks by the relevant District Council, as detailed in this report.

3. Up to £710,395 to hosts participating in the Homes for Ukraine Scheme in order to promote the government’s “Rent a Room” scheme by incentivising hosts and guests to end their Homes for Ukraine arrangement and transition into a private arrangement after at least twelve months have elapsed by providing:

(a) hosts with a month’s rent in advance on behalf of guests; and

(b) a £500 gift payment per household to hosts, from 1st April 2023 for a maximum of two years as outlined in Appendix 3 of this report. Such funding shall be allocated by the County Council following completion of satisfactory checks by the relevant District Council, as detailed in this report.

10.1      Cllr Stephen Davies left the meeting for the duration of the item having declared an interest.

10.2      Cllr Kathy Williams, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care Delivery, sought Cabinet approval to utilise Homes for Ukraine (HFU) Scheme grant funding received by the council from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) to increase host payments from April 2023 to encourage the continuation of sponsorship arrangements, and to provide housing incentives to help Ukrainian guests transition to the next phase of the HFU scheme.

10.3    The Homes for Ukraine (HFU) Scheme allowed Ukrainian nationals and their immediate family to be sponsored by individuals who could offer them a home in the UK. Hosts provided rent-free accommodation for between 6 and 24 months, receiving a tax-free monthly ‘thank you’ payment of £350 per household for the first year, increasing to £500 after 12 months. This was paid from a ring-fenced grant.

10.4    In addition, upper tier local authorities received funding of £10,500 per Ukrainian guest who arrived in the UK during 2022 and £5,900 for those arriving after 1 January 2023. Gloucestershire welcomed 1,340 guests in 2022 and anticipated a further 200 arrivals during 2023, so the expected budget envelope was £15.25 million.

10.5    It was recommended that Cabinet approve the allocation of funding:

·         To increase the host ‘thank you’ payments to £600 per month from 1^st April 2023 until 31^st March 2024. This would cost up to £972,600, as outlined in Appendix 1 of the Cabinet report.

·         To establish a ‘deposit and rent in advance’ scheme to assist Ukrainian guests moving to the Private Rental Sector (PRS).

·         To incentivise hosts and guests to join the government’s ‘Rent a Room’ scheme and end their sponsorship arrangement.

10.6    If the proposed allocation of funding was not approved, the Council risked failing to meet its obligations under the HFU scheme and the conditions of the grant funding.

Having considered all of the information, Cabinet noted the report and

RESOLVED to

Approve the following allocations of the £10,500 per guest tariff funding (£5,900 for each guest arrival from 1st January 2023) from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities in the form of the HFU Scheme Section 31 Grant, in addition to the allocations previously agreed by Cabinet/Cabinet Members and detailed in the Background Documents:

1. Up to £972,600 to all existing and new hosts participating in the Homes for Ukraine Scheme, under which each such host shall receive a host payment of £600 per month from 1st April 2023 until 31st March 2024, as outlined in Appendix 1 of this report. Such funding will be authorised by the County Council for each host and administered retrospectively by the relevant District Council.

2. Up to £991,620 to Ukrainian guests pursuant to a new ‘deposit and rent in advance’ scheme, under which each guest group shall, from 1^st April 2023 for a maximum of two years, be eligible to receive a standard 5-week deposit and month’s rent in advance,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10