Super Sponsor Scheme and Homes for Ukraine: guidance for local authorities

Welcome hubs

Welcome hubs in Edinburgh and Refrewshire provide a welcome, advice and initial triage of requirements. This includes physical and mental health, future housing needs, communication with family members and relevant public protection vetting assessment.

We work with COSLA, local authorities and the voluntary sector to ensure immediate support is available on arrival to Scotland. Those arriving will be met at their point of entry and transported to a welcome hub for a triage assessment.

Welcome accommodation

The purpose of welcome accommodation is to provide a temporary place of safety for displaced people with Scottish Super Sponsor visas on their initial arrival to Scotland.

Before travelling to Scotland, displaced people should arrange their own accommodation where possible, such as booking their own hotel or self-catering accommodation, staying with people they know and trust (friends and family) or renting privately.

If it is not possible for a displaced person with a Super Sponsor visa to make their own accommodation arrangements, then they will be offered welcome accommodation if it is their first arrival in Scotland. This welcome accommodation could be anywhere in Scotland and is intended to be for no more than 6 months. Displaced people are likely to be required to move into alternative accommodation sooner than this. 

Offers of accommodation

Local authorities should support displaced people in welcome accommodation to identify two options of longer-term accommodation, including one sustainable and affordable tenancy. The other offer will usually be hosted accommodation.

In most areas, displaced people will be required to apply for housing and support should be provided by local authorities to displaced people to understand local processes and make applications. An offer of housing made following an application counts as one reasonable offer.

Local authorities should provide information on any relevant support that displaced people may be entitled to in relation to commencing a tenancy agreement, including rental deposit support schemes, Discretionary Housing Payment and Community Care Grants.  Support should be given to apply for any relevant grants or schemes as required.

Reasonable offers of accommodation 

All offers will meet a standard that has been agreed by Scottish Government as being reasonable.  Reasonable offers of accommodation means:   

• an offer made by the local authority which may include hosted accommodation or a safe and affordable tenancy.  
• a successful application for housing that the local authority has helped complete and which has resulted in a reasonable offer of accommodation.  

A reasonable offer will: 

• meet all relevant health and safety requirements 
• be of a suitable size to accommodate all household members – depending on the composition of family members, more than one property be required
• be affordable for the household, taking into account access to employment and benefits as much as possible
• give consideration to any caring needs or responsibilities 
• meet disability requirements following reasonable adaptions
• be expected to last for at least 6 months, regardless of the type of accommodation

As far as possible, a reasonable offer should also:

• meet personal health and social care needs. However, it should be noted that health and social care support is available in all local authority and health board areas
• give consideration to educational needs.  Accommodation will take into account enrolment in education, however, it is extremely unlikely that an offer of accommodation within the catchment area of current schools or colleges will be made
• give consideration to employment status - wherever possible, accommodation offers should take into consideration any paid employment, particularly specialist employment but, being employed does not guarantee an offer in the current local authority

Reasonable offers of accommodation may include an offer that has previously been declined before 7 December 2023.  This may happen if the accommodation is still available and is still considered reasonable for the household’s current circumstances. 

The timescales for how long it takes to receive a reasonable offer can vary from one local authority to another. This is because there is a very high demand for all kinds of housing across Scotland.

A reasonable offer of accommodation can therefore be anywhere in Scotland, as long as it is deemed reasonable for displaced person’s needs and circumstances. 

Displaced people are expected to actively engage with local authorities and to apply for housing where necessary. If displaced people do not engage with local authorities and reasonable attempts have been made to contact them, they may be required to leave welcome accommodation.

If neither offer of accommodation is accepted, displaced people will be required to make their own accommodation arrangements and will be given a date to leave temporary welcome accommodation.  The exit date will be whichever is longer of:  

• a maximum of 180 nights from the date of arrival in welcome accommodation
• a maximum of 60 nights from the date the second offer of accommodation is refused

A Housing Options Assessment (HOA) should be carried out to determine housing support needs before the displaced person is required to leave welcome accommodation.  Local authorities will signpost displaced people to resources to make their own accommodation arrangements and enable them to exit welcome accommodation safely. 

If the displaced person does not respond to their referral for an HOA, the local authority may choose to forego one and require the displaced person to leave welcome accommodation without it.

Once a guest has left temporary welcome accommodation, in most circumstances they will not be allowed to return.  

Eligibility for welcome accommodation

From 8 January 2024, displaced people from Ukraine on any visa type except a Scottish Super Sponsor visa, are not entitled to access welcome accommodation in most circumstances.

Ineligible visa types include, but are not limited to, Ukraine Family Scheme, Ukraine Extension Scheme visas (Skilled Worker visa, Student visa, Seasonal Worker visa etc), Ukrainians with leave outside the immigration rules (LOTR), and those seeking asylum, or, with refugee status. 

In exceptional circumstances, displaced people holding a Homes for Ukraine visa with a named individual sponsor may be able to access welcome accommodation.

Local authorities should consult Operational Guidance for more information.

Re-entry to welcome accommodation following a period of absence

Once guests have left temporary welcome accommodation, in most circumstances they will not be able to return at a later date. 

From 8 January 2024, guests who choose to leave their welcome accommodation for longer than 5 nights will not be able to return to stay in any temporary welcome accommodation in Scotland. This means they will need to make their own accommodation arrangements on return.

Longer absences may only be permitted by local authorities in exceptional circumstances. These may include:

• travel relating to medical treatment   
• travel relating to short-term family reunification  
• travel to check on property in Ukraine, or for administrative reasons
• travel for reasons relating to mental health and wellbeing

Guests should speak to the local authority beforehand if they wish to leave temporary accommodation for more than five days.

If the local authority has authorised a longer term absence, welcome accommodation will be retained for the period of absence.  Authorised absence does not affect the duration of a displaced person’s entitlement to welcome accommodation.  If accommodation is retained, it is considered to be occupied.  If a period of absence takes place following rejection of a second offer of accommodation, this does not change the final date that welcome accommodation must be exited.

Following a period of absence of any duration, displaced people are responsible for their own transport to and from welcome accommodation, for example, from an airport to welcome accommodation.  Alternative welcome accommodation such as airport hotels should not be used for people re-entering Scotland following an absence, e.g. following a late night flight.

Re-entry to welcome accommodation following a period of absence exceeding five days, that was not agreed prior to travel by the local authority, will only be permitted in cases where:

• there are safeguarding concerns that cannot be managed through local processes
• in cases of emergency where a displaced person was unable to seek authorisation prior to departure and, on return, the local authority deem it an acceptable reason for an absence exceeding five days.  If a displaced person has made arrangements to travel prior to the revised re-entry policy being announced on 7 December 2023 and they travel under the impression re-entry will be permitted. Local authorities may ask for documentation to prove travel arrangements were made before this date

If a displaced person is absent from welcome accommodation for a duration exceeding five nights and permission was not sought or granted, their room will be closed and any personal items stored in line with local left-luggage policies.

Local authorities should consult operational guidance for more information.