Information for sponsors welcoming a Ukrainian person or family

Additional information to guide you on how the Homes for Ukraine scheme will work in Essex and your role as a sponsor.

DBS and home checks

All sponsors and family members aged 16 years or over who live at the address will require safeguarding and home checks. To begin completing these necessary checks, we are contacting all sponsors as quickly as possible. If you haven't heard from us yet, please tell us when your guests have arrived.

The checks will include:

  • safeguarding checks
  • Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks
  • a check of the suitability of the home (carried out by your local district, borough or city council)

These checks need to be passed in order for guests to stay with you and payments to be made. There is no charge for these checks.

Safeguarding checks

We have set up an internal team who are carrying out safeguarding checks.

As part of the safeguarding check, a council worker will visit your home to speak to you and make sure there are no safeguarding risks. In some cases, we will need to carry out two home visits.

If your Ukrainian guest groups includes children, a Children and Families worker will visit first to meet your household. A worker from the Education Service will then arrange a second visit to meet your guests once they have arrived.

For adult only guests, if the guests have arrived by the time of the first safeguarding check, only one visit will be required.

DBS checks

Household members aged 16 years or over will need to provide evidence for the DBS checks. You must have an enhanced DBS check to provide a home for children.

To complete the DBS check you will need to provide proof of ID. Read guidance about DBS checks.

Please note that:

  • when asked to provide a utility bill, this must be linked to your home. For example, a mobile phone bill is not accepted. You can use a water, gas, electric or council tax bill

How to submit your documents

There are two ways you can provide identification documents for DBS.

  1. You can give your documents to the Council worker from ECC during the Welfare visit.
  2. You can book an appointment to bring your documents to us at a public library.

Booking an appointment at a library is the quicker option.

Once you have submitted everything, you will receive an email asking you to authorise a DBS check. The DBS check will not proceed until the sponsor or adult gives their authorisation.

How long a DBS check takes

An enhanced DBS check can take up to four weeks to return a result, from the date the sponsor or member of their household authorises their DBS check. A basic DBS should take less time.

Accommodation checks

Accommodation checks will be carried out by your local district, borough or city council. They will be in touch to arrange a convenient time to visit your home or property.

All homes must meet the standards as set out in the accommodation guidance.