Councils working together to support Ukrainian arrivals

All four political Group Leaders at Braintree District Council expressed their support for the people of Ukraine and stands ready to work with partner agencies to provide support.

The Essex Resilience Forum, a multi-agency partnership made up of local councils, emergency services, health providers and the voluntary sector which Braintree District Council is part of, has stepped up to work together to provide support for both the immediate and longer terms needs of Ukrainian arrivals.

We are working alongside partners, including Essex County Council to provide support to those arriving under the Homes for Ukraine scheme, a scheme that invites residents to apply to sponsor a named Ukrainian and their immediate family to come over to the UK, as long as they can provide accommodation for at least six months.

Essex County Council will be responsible for carrying out DBS checks, which are required of all sponsors under the Homes for Ukraine scheme, and we will lead on housing checks to increase assurance around safety for hosts and Ukrainian guests.

We are currently waiting for further guidance from central government on when the home checks will take place and how they will work.

Welcome packs for sponsors and their guests to understand and access the wide range of support available in the Braintree district and across Essex is being prepared, including mental health support, help with finances and benefits, applying for school places and accessing NHS services. Updates will be provided via the Essex County Council website.

Cllr Graham Butland, Leader of Braintree District Council, said: We condemn the unprovoked Russian invasion of Ukraine and we stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine and their family and friends. What has been absolutely heart-warming is the outpouring of strong support from residents for those affected by this horrendous war. We will continue to work alongside our partner agencies to ensure those who arrive into the district under the scheme have all the support they need.”

Any residents that would like to offer assistance to any Ukrainian refugees that may come into the Braintree district are encouraged to support the Disasters Emergency Committee Ukraine Appeal, which is made up of UK charities which are working together to provide emergency aid in Ukraine. 

For more information about how residents can help they can visit our web page

Published: 4th April 2022