Homes for Ukraine scheme

About the scheme

We fully support the Homes for Ukraine scheme and where possible will support customers who wish to offer up an unoccupied spare bedroom to those fleeing Ukraine.

Who we are What we do Company Details

Who we are

We are Cheltenham Borough Homes (CBH), a top performing Arm’s Length Management Organisation (ALMO) responsible for the management and maintenance of Cheltenham Borough Council’s (CBC) housing stock and housing and homeless service. We are a non-profit making limited company with a non-executive Board of Directors. CBH is also a Registered Provider as we have owned our own properties since 2011.

A ‘management agreement’ formalises the relationship between CBH and CBC, setting out the services to be delivered and defining the remit of each organisation. Our current management agreement has been extended to run for 30 years which will make it one of the longest in the sector, reflecting our healthy and successful working relationship with CBC.

CBH has been an independent company since 2003 and since that time we have demonstrated consistent improvement and have made a difference to the lives of thousands of people living in the homes we manage and the communities within which we operate. CBH has been awarded the highest possible rating by government inspectors and consistently delivers services which place us as one of the top landlords when compared across the sector.

What we do

We provide extensive, high quality services for over 5,000 homes made up of general needs, sheltered and leasehold properties plus our own stock. We put our customers right at the heart of what we do and actively seek to engage them in shaping services, decision making, monitoring and scrutiny activities. We consistently deliver high quality services that generate high levels of customer satisfaction.

We are not just a landlord. Our remit has developed significantly since 2003 as the company has established itself and matured, consistently delivering major milestones and realising our potential to positively affect wider local aims. Our commitment to community involvement and development ensures we are a recognisable presence in our communities.

We now deliver more than high quality landlord services: we build homes; regenerate communities; provide services to help younger and older people; support people to find employment and provide guidance to people in financial difficulty. Since 2008 two further service areas have transferred from CBC to CBH: the housing options and the estate cleaning services, supporting the council’s commissioning agenda and demonstrating our excellent partnership approach.

Company Details

You can read Cheltenham Borough Council’s Homes for Ukraine Privacy Policy here.

Cheltenham – A Town of Sanctuary

Cheltenham adopted the title of Town of Sanctuary in 2019. This means that we have been recognised as a town that offers a place of safety to people fleeing violence. We work in a partnership, which includes Gloucestershire County Council and the six district councils, to support international resettlement across the county. Through this partnership, we are working together to see how Gloucestershire can respond to support the individuals fleeing violence from Ukraine as further details become available from central government about the UK response to the Ukrainian refugee crisis click here.

Support for refugees – ‘Homes for Ukraine’ scheme

The government has launched its “Homes for Ukraine” scheme being led by The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. Under the scheme people in the UK will be able to nominate an individual or family to stay with them rent-free, or in another property, for at least six months.

Charities, businesses and community groups will also be able to apply with households offered £350 a month as a ‘thank you’. Checks will be made on all hosts by the government and Ukrainian applicants will also undergo some security checks. Ukrainians welcomed into this scheme will be eligible to work, access state benefits and public services for three years.

To find out more about the scheme and register your interest visit: How to sponsor Ukrainian refugees and offer them a home in the UK

Wherever possible we will support CBH customers who may wish to offer up an unoccupied spare bedroom to those fleeing Ukraine at this time. There are a few things to consider, so please visit the dedicated CBH customer page for more information.

The Homes for Ukraine sponsor guidance outlines important information for sponsors including responsibilities of sponsors and how sponsors may support their guests.

There is also an FAQ from the government on the Homes for Ukraine scheme which covers many questions you may have.

Welcome: a guide for Ukrainians arriving in the UK

The government has created a guide for Ukrainians arriving in the UK. It also includes specific information for those arriving on the Homes for Ukraine scheme.

Click here to read the guide