Renting in England
After your sponsorship arrangement comes to an end, or you and your family have decided to live independently, there are routes you can go down to find rental accommodation in England.
On this page you will find guidance for housing in England.
How to Rent in England
What is social housing and am I eligible for it?
Social housing includes council housing and housing association accommodation which are rented by local councils or directly by associations. They are more affordable than private rental sector accommodation, however there are long waiting lists and only certain families are eligible.
You can contact your local council to see if you can join the waiting list for social housing, but unless you are decided to be a ‘priority need’ it will likely not be an option.
Shelter has a guide on Council housing in England which may answer further questions you have.
If you find yourself facing homelessness, or are homeless, your situation will have changed and your local council will have a duty to find some form of accommodation for you and your family.
What is the private rental sector?
The private rental sector refers to all properties which are owned by private individuals who will receive rent payments in return for you living in the property.
In order to rent a private property, you will need to apply for properties which you like and pay a deposit (usually the first month’s rent) in order to secure it. At the moment there is high competition to secure rental properties, so you will likely need to view and apply for many properties before you manage to secure one.
Some local councils run schemes to facilitate Ukrainian guests getting into private rental accommodation by offering 12 month rent guarantees or paying rent in advance. You will need to make contact with your local council to see what support they may be able to offer.