Brits will be able to open their homes to Ukrainian refugees through a new humanitarian route to help tackle the escalating crisis.
The 'Homes for Ukraine' scheme, which is being rolled out this week, will allow individuals, charities, community groups and businesses to bring people fleeing the war to safety - even if they have no ties to the UK.
Sponsors can nominate a named Ukrainian individual or family to stay with them in their home, or offer a separate property for them to use rent-free.
Hosts will receive a "thank you" payment of £350 per month for taking part.
Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove told MPs: "British people have already opened their hearts in so many and I hope that many will also be ready to open their homes and help those fleeing persecution find peace, healing and the prospect of a brighter future."
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Here's what you need to know about the new scheme and how you can get involved.
How can I take in and host Ukrainian refugees under the new scheme?
'Homes for Ukraine' is a new Government scheme in which Brits can open up their homes to people fleeing the Russian invasion.
People in the UK will offer to act as sponsors for Ukrainians who have no family ties in this country.
Ukrainian nationals or their immediate family members who were resident in Ukraine before January 1 2022 are eligible.
Brits can register their interest from today and then formal applications will open on Friday.
The move comes after intense criticism over the speed of the UK visa process for Ukrainians seeking sanctuary from Putin's brutal onslaught.
How will the government's refugee scheme work?
Sponsors can nominate a Ukrainian individual or family to stay with them in their home, or offer a separate property for them to use rent-free.
These refugees do not need to have a family link to the UK - unlike the visa scheme.
Brits offering accommodation will be vetted and Ukrainian applicants will also undergo security checks.
Anyone offering their home to refugees will receive a “thank you” payment of £350 per month from the Government for up to 12 months. The payment will not affect benefit entitlements or council tax status, it was announced.
A website letting Brits register their interest was launched today (see here), with formal visa applications to open online on Friday.
You need to know the name of a refugee you want to sponsor at this stage.
Charities and non-governmental organisations are expected to help connect Brits and refugees, rather than the Government acting as an intermediary.
It is understood that this approach was chosen to speed up the process in response to the spiralling refugee crisis.
At a later date, the Government hopes to help organisations to also sponsor individuals, but the first phase of the scheme will be named individual contacts.
What do sponsors need to provide to participate in the scheme?
Sponsors will be asked to commit to providing free accommodation for a minimum of six months. People are asked not charge refugees rent.
Brits are advised to think carefully what they can offer and there may be eligibility checks, including visits to your home.
You do not need to provide food or living expenses for the refugees you host - but you can if you choose.
Local councils are being asked to provide "wrap around support" for Ukrainian arrivals, with extra cash being provided.
What rights will Ukrainian refugees have in the UK?
People arriving under this scheme will be able to live and work in the UK for up to three years.
They will have access to healthcare, benefits, employment support, education, and English language tuition.
Local authority areas will be entitled to more than £10,000 per Ukrainian refugee to provide public services.
Additional payments will be available to support children to go to school, with heads preparing for an estimated 100,000 Ukrainian pupils.
How do I sign up to sponsor a Ukrainian refugee?
You can register your interest in becoming a sponsor for a Ukrainian refugee here.
On Friday, March 18 visa applications will open for Ukrainians who already have a named sponsor lined up.
How many refugees will be able to come to the UK as a result?
The scheme is uncapped, meaning there is no limit on the number of Ukrainians who can seek shelter in the country.
The Department for Levelling Up said: "The UK will welcome as many Ukrainians, with their immediate family members, as wish to come and for whom there are sponsors."
Housing Secretary Michael Gove predicted on Sunday that the UK’s new humanitarian route would mean “tens of thousands” come to the UK.
There is also a separate family route which allows Ukrainians with blood ties to the UK to apply for visas.
Will oligarchs’ property be used to home refugees?
The Government is facing growing calls to use the requisitioned property of sanctioned Russian oligarchs to house Ukrainians.
On Sunday, Michael Gove also said he wants to “explore” the idea, but signalled there could be legal problems.
He added: “We are saying, ‘You’re sanctioned, you’re supporting Putin, this home is here, you have no right to use or profit from it – and more than that, while you are not using or profiting from it if we can use it in order to help others, let’s do that.”
Downing Street confirmed it was examining whether the properties of sanctioned oligarchs could be used to house Ukrainian refugees - but it is thought that new legislation would be required.
The Prime Minister's official spokesman said: "Certainly that's something we are looking at.
"I think in the first instance the two (visa) routes that we have are how we expect people will be housed in the UK, either through family or through this sponsorship route."
Is Britain now doing enough to help Ukrainians fleeing war?
Not according to the Refugee Council, which points out that unlike with many other European countries, Ukrainians will still require a visa to come to the UK.
Enver Solomon, of the Refugee Council, said: “This programme falls short of enabling any Ukrainian, particularly the most vulnerable such as children who are alone, to seek safety in the UK and access the full support they urgently need.
“By establishing a visa route and naming scheme, it will inevitably be restricted to those who are known to people in the UK and be a quite complex, lengthy visa application.”
More than 2.5 million people have fled the Russian invasion in Ukraine, according to the UN refugee agency.
