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DBS and home checks for the Homes for Ukraine scheme

DBS checks

After you register your interest in becoming a host for the Homes for Ukraine scheme, we will contact you to arrange a free DBS check for every person over 16 that lives in your home (not the arriving refugees).

If you are using an unoccupied property for the scheme, we will still need to do a free DBS check for you but may not need to check the other members of your family.

We will prioritise your checks if you already have Ukrainian nationals staying with you.

Learn more about eligibility, safeguarding, DBS and accommodation checks on GOV.UK.

If you have lived overseas in the past 5 years, a Certificate of Good Conduct will be required alongside the DBS check. Find out more about the criminal records checks for overseas applicants on GOV.UK.

Home checks

Your local council will contact you to arrange a convenient time for the inspection.

They will check to make sure the property:

  • is clean, warm, safe and in a reasonable state
  • has an empty room and adequate space for your guest.
    • Two adults cannot share a bedroom unless they are adult cohabiting partners.
    • Two children aged 0 to 9 years can share a bedroom whatever their sex.
    • Two children aged 0 to 15 years can share a bedroom if they are the same sex.
    • Otherwise, children must have separate bedrooms.
    • Children 16 years and above must have their own bedroom.
    • Parents can share a bedroom with their child/ren up to 10 years old.
    • A bed in a shared space is not an appropriate offer of accommodation for 6 months for hosts or guests.
    • People who didn’t previously know each other should not be given the same room.
  • has adequate kitchen and bathroom space
  • has access to drinking water
  • has a working smoke detector on each floor of the property and other fire safety precautions suitable for the building, for example fire doors or escape routes as appropriate (read more about making a home safe from fire)
  • has a working carbon monoxide detector in any room containing a solid fuel burning appliance, for example, a coal fire or wood burning stove
  • has sufficient heating to keep the property at a comfortable temperature
  • has had the appropriate checks. A gas safety certificate is not mandatory, though you might need one if you have cause for concern. A gas safe registered engineer can do this for you (this safety check should have been made within the last year)
  • has safe and working electrics, which a qualified electrician can help with if you are unsure
  • is almost entirely free of damp or mould
  • has doors and windows at entry level that lock properly
  • is easy and safe to move around in, without excessively steep staircases that may cause harm.

The visit should last around one hour and you should hear back from us with any issues you need to address within 48 hours.

Find out more about the basic accommodation needs for Homes for Ukraine on GOV.UK.

If you are looking to employ your guests, the accommodation must be:

  • suitable for the guest and their household, including for any children
  • offered for a minimum period of 6 months
  • offered free of any obligation to work
  • rent free. No deductions should be made from the National Minimum Wage in lieu of rent.

Free home fire safety checks

The Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) are supporting hosts by offering free home fire safety visits. The visit may include:

  • installing fire alarms
  • installing a carbon monoxide alarm
  • fire safety advice.

To find out more, visit the KFRS website and quote KFRSUkraine when booking.