Become a host

We made friends with my sponsors. We go for walks together and visit other cities. Their dog loves me as well. Now England has become my second home, where I have another family

I once asked my sponsors why they decided to take this step and welcome a stranger into their home. They told me, 'We just want someone to help us the same way if war ever comes to us. I feel incredibly lucky with my host family. They have become my friends, advisors, and a huge source of support. They showed me beautiful cities and places nearby, helping me adapt to this new environment.

 I’m grateful to USPUK for helping us through the process, arranging online meetings with potential sponsors, assisting with translations, and guiding us through the visa application. Our sponsor, Damian, welcomed us in the airport and brought us to Scarborough. Now, I’m working, and Zlata is attending school and even joined a theatre club. I believe it's crucial to continue finding new sponsors for Ukrainians because many still need help. To those considering hosting, I would say: please understand that we come from a different country, with a different mentality. We react differently to certain situations, and some of us find it hard to adapt due to language barriers or age.

USPUK’s team contacted us and finally gave us hope for a peaceful life - it was the best thing that had happened to us in a long time. We appreciated the support at every step of the way, and all the advice and help. We have been living in London for a year now. We were welcomed by our lovely sponsors, who are wonderful and very interesting people. They have done so much for us and are still doing a lot. We will always be grateful to them and to all the other people who helped us. Although this is not our home country, our friends try to make us feel as if we were at home here!

I was fortunate to find an amazing host family. I’ve been living with them for 10 months now. My sponsors are educated, intelligent individuals with a wealth of life experience. They understood my anxieties and always treated me with kindness. I consider them my British family. On the day after my arrival, my sponsor took me around the town, and I immediately began searching for a job. With a ready CV in hand, I found my first job in a family-owned café. As time passed, I transitioned to a fantastic role, and I have now been working as a Help Desk Coordinator at a fire safety company for a year. Outside of work, I’ve been learning English, practising yoga, and staying active. I’m incredibly grateful to be able to live a peaceful and secure life

USPUK helped me through difficult times, they quickly found a wonderful family who welcomed me as one of their own. I lived with them in safety and peace for nearly six months, and they supported me through all the initial stages of my new life in the UK. Amar and Sonia, my sponsors, became my second family, and we continue to stay in touch and see each other regularly. My life has changed drastically in such a short time, and moving to this country was the best decision I could have made. Here, I found safety and peace of mind.

Our sponsor is a truly amazing person who constantly checks in to make sure we're comfortable and have everything we need. It really helps to know that someone cares. Even though we try to handle things on our own so we don’t disturb him, we also help him with small tasks around the house and in the garden. During dinners, we chat about everything, and he listens carefully, asking questions whenever something is unclear. So far, we haven’t encountered any problems or language barriers. The locals are incredibly friendly and always willing to help, taking extra time to explain things we don’t understand!

Huge thanks go to the people who became not just our sponsors but also our British family. The family we have been matched with has been wonderful. Their kindness, support, and genuine care have been more than we could have ever hoped for. We are truly blessed to have found not only sponsors but also a second family here in the UK. Thank you for everything you do – it goes beyond just being professional.

I have now been living with my sponsor, Catherine, for about a month and a half in a small town called Garstang. As soon as I arrived, we took care of all the paperwork, and a week later, we embraced a routine of active living. Catherine leads a very energetic lifestyle, and we clicked 100% in this regard. We’ve been running in the mornings, cycling, playing cricket, and spending time with her family. This active lifestyle really helped me adapt. My experience with Catherine and her family has been incredibly positive. I am endlessly grateful for their support in all aspects, from simple conversations to helping me with paperwork and even job searching. To the people who are considering becoming sponsors, I want to say thank you. You might not realise how much you can change someone’s life for the better or simply give them the opportunity to continue living. In a world filled with darkness, you can be the light for someone who needs it. Thank you. ❤️

We come from Kharkiv city that is close to the border with Russia. We travelled to the UK by car, as our sponsor lives in a rural area with limited public transport options. Our sponsor, John, is 85 years old and welcomed us warmly. Finding a sponsor can sometimes be a challenge, even for larger families, but thanks to USPUK’s dedicated support, we were able to make this journey safely

USPUK’s team of Nadiia and Valeriia were always in touch and helped me with all the paperwork and questions I had. We now live with the sponsor family who welcomed us. They are wonderful people who continue to support us with documents and other matters. Thanks to their kindness and the incredible help from USPUK, my daughter and I finally feel safe.

I have been in England for three weeks. While this is not a long time, I have already felt how beautiful and friendly this country is. I am trying to adapt to my new life, helping my children, and hoping to find work. I chose to come to the UK because fate sometimes decides for us. England has become a second home for me. My experience with my host family has been wonderful. I met an incredibly kind, compassionate, and sincere person—Marlies. This meeting feels like a divine gift to me.

I believe it’s essential to continue finding new sponsors for displaced Ukrainians. Many have lost their loved ones, homes, and jobs – for some, this is an opportunity to rehabilitate and start fresh.

My hosts are my friends, advisors and a great support. They have given me the opportunity to start a new life and most importantly a chance to live without alarms and explosions. For some people, it literally saves their lives.

Our guests have been a delight! Engaging, enthusiastic, polite, houseproud and appreciative of our welcome. It has been a life-affirming experience. We have no regrets and would recommend the experience to anyone interested. We would certainly do it again, or take in other refugees if our family are able to become independent or (God willing) the conflict in Ukraine resolves.

My guests have been extremely appreciative of my sharing my home with them. They have participated fully and integrated well, by, among other things, joining the several running, cycling and singing groups that I belong to. Their understanding of English, because of their extensive participation, has come on leaps and bounds.

Things are going very well with our guests. We think it was very helpful that your matching process enabled us all to be clear what was on offer and what the family needed.