Family Visa Scheme

Apply for Universal Credit

Universal Credit is a payment to help with your living costs. It’s paid monthly.

You may be able to get it if you’re on a low income, out of work or you cannot work.

You can apply for Universal Credit online.

Before you apply, check if you’re eligible and what you can get in England, Scotland and Wales.

You might also need to attend an interview at your local Jobcentre Plus. You’ll be told if you need to after you apply.

You’ll get your first payment around 5 weeks after applying online if your application is successful. When you apply, you can ask for an advance if you need help sooner that you will need to repay.

You can apply prior to opening to a UK Bank Account, please speak to one of the Resettlement Officers.

Apply for State Pension

You’ll be able to claim the new State Pension if you’re:

• a man born on or after 6 April 1951
• a woman born on or after 6 April 1953

The earliest you can get the new State Pension is when you reach State Pension age.

Apply for state pension online.

If you reached State Pension age before 6 April 2016, you’ll get the State Pension under the old rules instead an can claim by calling the State Pension Claim Line: 0800 731 7898

Apply for any other applicable benefits e.g. Carers Allowance, PIP, Child Benefit

You may be eligible for Carers Allowance if you care for someone at least 35 hours a week and they get certain benefits.

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) can help with extra living costs if you have both:

• a long-term physical or mental health condition or disability
• difficulty doing certain everyday tasks or getting around because of your condition

You can get PIP even if you’re working, have savings or are getting most other benefits.

You get Child Benefit if you’re responsible for bringing up a child who is:

• under 16
• under 20 if they stay in approved education or training

Only one person can get Child Benefit for a child.

It’s paid every 4 weeks and there’s no limit to how many children you can claim for.

Carer's Allowance: How it works

Personal Independence Payment (PIP): How to claim

Apply for a UK bank account

To open a new bank or building society account, they’ll need to provide some basic personal information. Here’s what the bank or building society may want to know about them: - name - date of birth - nationality - contact details (email address set up in the guest’s name and a valid phone number).

To open a bank or building society account in the UK, guests also need to show proof of ID, and may be asked for things like:

• Passport
• Biometric residency permit
• Driver’s licence
• Recognised identity card.

Register with a GP

Anyone in England can register with a GP surgery. It's free to register.

You do not need proof of address or immigration status, ID or an NHS number.

You can approach the GP practice closest to your home, however a surgery can refuse to register you if they are not taking any new patients.

Register with a dentist

There is no need to register with a dentist in the same way as with a GP because you are not bound to a catchment area.

Simply find a dental surgery that's convenient for you, whether it's near your home or work, and phone them to see if there are any appointments available.

You can approach the NHS dental practice closets to your home however surgeries will not always have the capacity to take on new NHS patients. You may have to join a waiting list, look for a different dentist who is taking on new NHS patients, or be seen privately.

Apply for school places

If your child is at primary, junior or secondary school and you need to register them at a new school, you need to apply. This is called an in-year admission.

There is no guarantee that your preferred school/s will be able to offer your child a place. Unfortunately, places cannot be offered at full schools.

Transport assistance is only provided where parents apply to schools in line with our transport criteria.

Complete the In Year Admissions Form (PDF, 303.3 KB) and send it to the school you're applying to.

You need to fill in a separate form for each child and for each school you want to apply to.

Alternatively, you can email the In-Year Admissions Team at kentinyearadmissions@kent.gov.uk with:

• the name of your child or children
• their date of birth
• the full address (including postcode) of where you're staying.

Enrol in English classes

Language is an essential tool for intercultural dialogue, which in turn is needed for integration. The successful measures of integration are: employment, education and active participation in the society – all of which need language.

Kent Adult Education offer a range of courses to support learning English. Most of these are free.

Visit the Kent Adult Education website or call 03000 41 22 22 and ask to speak about English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) lessons. A special section for Ukrainian learners has been created on the website. Learners should select from the ‘Please select who your message is for’ dropdown ‘Ukrainians applying for ESOL courses’.

A YouTube channel called "English With Ukrainians" has been made available: it's a free resource. Ukrainian translators have translated lessons and discussed linguistic/cultural differences. There are also activities that are suitable for host families to do with Ukrainian guests

This can be used as a self-study resource.

Extend permission to be in the UK

The guests will be granted six months leave to enter at the border. Before the end of the six months, the applicant must complete Ukraine Scheme Status to extend permission to stay in the UK.

This process is only open to a Ukrainian national with a valid international passport.

Complete your Ukraine Scheme Status in the UK.