Homes for Ukraine – can you help?
Since the Homes for Ukraine scheme launched on 14 March 2022, over 400 Bromley residents have generously opened up their homes to guests fleeing the war in Ukraine. There is still an opportunity to help with this and if you are interested in sharing your home with a Ukrainian family, please let us know.
Many guests who have been in our Borough for some time are now in employment and living independently. Whilst many Ukraine guests continue to live with host residents, placements are now also coming to their natural end. We are therefore looking for residents who would like to host someone who is not yet ready to move into their own accommodation.
The Council’s Ukraine Support Team carryout the required government checks as well as supporting guests and sponsors throughout the placement. If you need to get in touch with our team, please e-mail ukrainesupport@bromley.gov.uk.
Ukraine Support Hub
Support is available locally, including through the Council’s multi-agency support hub,
If you have recently arrived in the UK, the government’s guidance for guests contains lots of useful information.
Information, advice and support is also available at Bromley’s Ukraine Support Hub, about a variety of subjects, employment, education, learning English and everyday issues. The hub hosts both representatives from various organisations and a wealth of material, both for the new residents of the borough and for residents who are sponsoring hosts.
Bromley Council's Civic Centre at Stockwell Close will no longer be operational from 24 December 2024. With this in mind, the Ukraine Support Hub will still run as usual every Thursday between 9.30am and 12pm where we will continue to support our guests and sponsors alike.
As of Thursday 7 November 2024 the hub will be located at the Bromley Central Library on the fifth floor. Please be advised that in our new location we will only be provided with the space within the time frames specified above.
We appreciate that some weeks can be busier than usual, and as a result the hub has frequently over-run past 12pm, however, this will not be possible in this new location as we must vacate the room promptly. We kindly ask that if you are intending to come to the hub, you do so within the time frames given. If we are unable to answer your query before 12pm, you may be asked to come back the following week, or send us an email at ukrainesupport@bromley.gov.uk.
Advice about education
Bromley Council’s school admissions team are available to assist families with securing school places for their children as quickly as possible. The school admissions team can help answer your enquiries on which school may have available spaces, how to apply, what year group you child is in and other enquires you may have via Ukraine.Education@bromley.gov.uk.
You can apply for a school place using the application forms:
- For secondary school aged children (11-16 years old) - In year admissions | Secondary school places | London Borough of Bromley
- For primary school aged children (4-11 years old) - In year admissions | Making an application for primary school | London Borough of Bromley
If you have a child in a Bromley school who is affected by the crisis, please talk to your child’s teachers about any concerns you have and support you would like the school to provide.
Learning English
The Council is working in partnership with London South East Colleges (LSEC) and our Bromley Adult Education College (BAEC) to meet the increasing demand for English language classes for adults and young people. This new partnership has been forged to ensure that as many opportunities are made available as possible for our Ukrainian guests to access ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) courses.
To register your interest, please complete the online application form and the team will book a time for your initial assessment to take place as soon as possible, within 1-2 weeks.
After your assessment, you may be offered a course at BAEC or at LSEC based on your language needs, location and other factors.
If you are interested in attending ESOL courses, you may be offered an assessment at BAEC or LSEC. These courses are free of charge to all Ukrainian guests supported through the Ukraine Family Scheme and Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme. The ESOL courses are in the main for adults over 19 years old, however there are options available for young people from 16-19 years old to study at LSEC.
If you have any questions or require support with filling out the form, please contact Ukraine.Education@bromley.gov.uk and the team will be in contact as soon as possible to assist you.
Information, advice, donations and practical support
If you are a resident with friends and family in Ukraine and need information or support about what is happening please contact the Ukrainian Embassy.
For information on travel advice to and from Ukraine visit GOV.UK.
Find immigration advice on temporary concessions for Ukrainian nationals applying to join a family route at GOV.UK.