Education, work, benefits, health and phones support for arrivals from Ukraine
Education
School places will be provided for children of compulsory school age and 2, 3 and 4 year-olds will have access to Early Years nursery provision.
For access and support with admissions, please visit our school admissions pages
Please note – once the admission forms have been completed, it can take 15 days to confirm an offer of a school place.
Early learning
Ukrainian guests may qualify for funded early years education. Please visit our childcare and early years education pages
Work and benefits
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is responsible for welfare, pensions and child maintenance policy. It administers the state pension and a range of working age, disability and ill health benefits such as child benefit, universal credit, personal independent payments, carers allowance.
Universal credit
Your guests are eligible to apply for Universal credit and can apply online:
Should support be needed with Universal Credit claims, help is available:
- Universal Credit helpline – Telephone: 08003 285644
- The Help to Claim service provided by Citizens Advice
Pension Credits
For those not of working age, they may be eligible to receive Pension Credits. Please visit the government's Pension Credit: How to claim page.
Health
Guests should register with a GP surgery as soon as possible. You can find a GP on the NHS website.
Guidance is also available on how the NHS works:
- English version - how the NHS works: a guide for migrants (English)
- Ukrainian version - how the NHS works: a guide for migrants (Ukrainian)
- Russian version - how the NHS works: a guide for migrants(Russian)
Phones
Tesco Mobile – Smartphone and SIM through British Red Cross
British Red Cross (BRC) can offer people fleeing the conflict in Ukraine a Tesco Mobile smartphone and SIM.
The Tesco SIMs are valid for 3 months and contain:
- 1000 minutes
- 5000 texts
- 8GB data
- free off-peak calls
- free calls to Ukraine.
These are being distributed by Crisis Response through the National Support Line (NSL).
Process
Anyone from Ukraine over the age of 18 can receive a SIM.
To apply, call the National Support Line on 08081 963651 10am to 6pm daily (including Sundays). They will process an order and the Tesco mobile SIM and phone will be sent directly to client or nearest BRC office. As for any other charitable donation, and depending on the volume of enquires, the offer is subject to availability
Disclaimer
This is not a British Red Cross SIM or phone. If they are lost, damaged or stolen, the British Red Cross will not be able to replace them.
You (the owner) will be responsible for the cost of topping up the phone and SIM card after either the pre-loaded credit has expired, or the 3 months tariff expires.
The British Red Cross will not be able to access your personal data or any information stored within the phone.
Vodafone – SIM and data – through British Red Cross
People can request Vodafone SIMs through the National Support Line on 08081 963651.
They come with:
- unlimited free calls within the UK
- 20GB of data.
This is to be used within 6 months from the activation date. The SIMs do not come with a phone.
You can also apply for Vodafone SIM through refugease, who are offering the same deal on Vodafone.
Disclaimer
This is not a British Red Cross SIM. If it is lost, damaged or stolen, the British Red Cross will not be able to replace it.
You (the owner) will be responsible for the cost of topping up the phone and SIM card after either the pre-loaded credit has expired, or the 3 months tariff expires.
The British Red Cross will not be able to access your personal data or any information stored within the phone.