Welcome Payment

Welcome payment

Each Ukrainian refugee should receive a £200 welcome payment from the local authority. This is intended to provide for immediate needs until Universal Credit or paid work can be organised. The welcome payment is paid in cash, vouchers or on a pre-paid debit card.

Pre-loaded debit cards are useful for shops, but usually won't be accepted on buses.

Bath & NE Somerset (B&NES) process:

If you live in B&NES the Welcome Payment comes in the form of a pre-paid card which can be collected from the B&NES One Stop Shop in Bath or Keynsham Library.

As soon as your Ukrainian guests arrive, sponsors should email welfare_support@bathnes.gov.uk with the names of each guest to request cards for them. The email should be of the following form:

Subject: Ukrainian Homes Scheme

Please could you arrange for Welcome Payment cards to be available at ..........(pick your location - see above) for........ (names of your guests). Please load ........(names of any guests under 18)'s payment onto ........(name of their responsible adult), and let me know when they will be available. The person collecting these cards will be ........(name of lead guest adult who can collect all on behalf of the sponsor's Ukrainian family)

The person identified as the one to collect the cards will need to bring photo ID with them. Once these cards have been collected, each card needs to be validated by following the instructions explained on the paperwork that accompanies the card. Validation is by phone and you will need the names and dates of birth of all the card holders to validate them.