Across the UK, thousands of private individuals and organisations have been offering their spare rooms and properties to host Ukrainian refugees. In return, the government is providing hosts with a £350 monthly payment per property, administered by local authorities.
What Is The Homes For Ukraine Scheme?
The £350 monthly payment is only given to those registered as a sponsor through the Homes for Ukraine scheme. They will be paid for up to 12 months and are expected to provide their accommodation rent-free for a minimum of 6 months, though they can ask refugees to contribute towards the extra meals, energy and water required. Hosts cannot, however, claim expenses against the income received.
For hosts, these monthly payments are free of tax or national insurance and are disregarded as income for state benefits, council tax discounts and rent-a-room relief. In the instance that the host is a company, the payments are exempt from corporation tax. While used for the Homes for Ukraine scheme, the residential property is also not subject to the annual tax for enveloped dwellings.