Support for Ukrainian nationals

You can find information and support, including the UK visa support available to Ukrainian nationals on GOV.UK.

Register with a doctor

You should register with a doctor as soon as possible. Everyone in your family should visit your doctor as soon as they can, so that they can make sure you're healthy and get you any support you may need.

You can find out more about how to register with a doctor on GOV.UK.

If you have difficulty in registering with a doctor or would like advice on which practice covers your address then please ring 01634 335095 and select option 6, or email Kmccg.primarycare@nhs.net.

Medical and dental emergencies

You can find out how to get medical help for emergencies, issues that can't wait until you can see your GP and dental emergencies on GOV.UK.

Get up-to-date with your vaccinations

Once you're registered with a doctor, they will also make sure your vaccinations are up-to-date. Read this leaflet about getting up to date with your vaccinations. The leaflet is also available to download in Ukrainian and Russian on GOV.UK.

COVID vaccinations

The COVID-19 vaccine is free to everyone in the UK, including migrants. Information about getting a vaccine if you don't have an NHS number is available on GOV.UK in English and Ukrainian.

Other health information

Visit GOV.UK for more guidance on:

• child health
• adult health
• care for elderly, vulnerable or disabled adults.

• Apply for Universal Credit and other benefits.
• Find your nearest Jobcentre for advice on benefits and finding work. Jobcentres also offer translation services and can support when starting a benefits claim.
• Get a National Insurance number.
• Guidance on obtaining evidence of your qualification for employment, study or professional registration.
• Paying taxes in the UK including the types of tax you will pay as an employee and how this could affect any benefits you claim.
• You can get advice and support to apply for benefits and find work from Citizens Advice who can put you in touch with their local advisors.

Childcare and pre-school

You can find out about the childcare options available to you including free and tax-free childcare on our childcare and pre-school pages.

Kent Children and Families Information Service (CFIS) also offer support for all parents and carers with children aged 0 to 5 years.

Early help

If you're worried about your child, you can get support from our Early Help team.

Child safety

Everyone has the right to live in a safe environment. Contact us if you’re concerned about a child in Kent and want to speak to someone.

Adult safety

If you're worried about yourself or someone else, read a leaflet from the Kent and Medway Safeguarding Adults Board on how to protect yourself from abuse:

• read the leaflet in English
• read the leaflet in Ukrainian
• read the leaflet in Russian.

Contact us if you’re concerned about an adult in Kent and want to speak to someone.

School places

Ukrainian children and young people will be offered places at the schools that have enough spaces closest to their homes.

Parents or carers need to complete the In Year Admissions Form (PDF, 303.3 KB) for each child that needs a school place and then send this form to the school you would like your child to attend.

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.

Unfortunately, we cannot offer places at full schools.

Families with more than one child needing a school place may need to travel to a school further away from their home to make sure that all siblings can attend the same school.

If we cannot offer your child a school place that is a reasonable distance from your home, we will make sure local alternatives are provided.

Find out more about school places

Childcare and education

Visit GOV.UK for more guidance on:

• childcare and education up to 16 years old
• education for people from 16 years old to adults.

School transport

If your child has to travel a long way to school you may be eligible for free school transport.

Find out about free school transport

Free school meals and uniforms

If your child is in full-time education, under 19 and you receive certain benefits, they may be able to get free school meals.

School uniform voucher

If you are living with a host during the week commencing 14 August and your child will be attending school from week commencing 4 September, you are eligible for a school uniform voucher. The vouchers are:

• £500 for secondary school age pupils
• £300 for primary school age pupils.

This money is to help pay for items such as:

• a coat
• a school bag
• school shoes
• school uniform.

Payments will be made via a voucher sent to your English mobile phone number (the same way that the £200 welcome payments were made) and you can then collect the money from a local post office. You will need to collect the payment as soon as possible, otherwise the voucher may expire and we cannot issue further vouchers.

We cannot make school uniform payments if:

• sponsorships are paused
• you will be away for more than 28 days
• you leave and do not have a confirmed return date within 28 days.

Your borough or district council can give you support with things like leisure facilities and housing:

• Ashford Borough Council
• Canterbury City Council
• Dartford Borough Council
• Dover District Council
• Folkestone and Hythe District Council
• Gravesham Borough Council
• Maidstone Borough Council
• Sevenoaks District Council
• Swale District Council
• Thanet District Council
• Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council
• Tunbridge Wells Borough Council.

If you are unsure who your nearest district or borough council is visit the government website.

You can join a library to use free computers and access groups and other services.

Our community directory contains information about activities, services and groups to help all Kent residents live healthy, active and fulfilling lives.

• If you have a Ukrainian driving licence, you can exchange it for a UK licence for a small fee, as Ukraine has an exchange agreement with the UK. Find out how to exchange a foreign driving licence on GOV.UK.
• Community transport gives you access to a bus or car service if you can't access public transport.
• Rail operators are providing Ukrainian refugees with a single onward journey via national rail free of charge on arrival in Great Britain to their final destination. You have 48 hours to make your onward journey. You only need to show a Ukrainian passport and a boarding pass or ticket showing arrival into the country within the last 48 hours. All the information is on the National Rail Enquiries website and it will be translated into Ukrainian and Russian in due course.

If you'd like to know more about the English language or our culture, you may want to watch some of the videos on a YouTube channel called English with Ukrainians.

Kent Adult Education also offer a range of courses to support learning English and most of them are free. Find out more on the Kent Adult Education website.

You can find more resources and training to learn English on GOV.UK.