How this works

This bespoke scheme offers a route to those who want to come to the UK and have someone here willing to provide them with a home. 

If you have a named person who you wish to sponsor you should get in contact with them directly and prepare to fill in a visa application with all their details and yours.

If you don’t know anyone who you wish to sponsor you may wish to get in touch with charities, faith groups or local community organisations who are starting to make connections between individuals.

Sponsors should provide accommodation for as long as they are able, but we have a minimum expectation of 6 months.

What sort of accommodation am I expected to provide?

If you have a residential spare room or separate self-contained accommodation that is unoccupied then please come forward. The accommodation must be available for at least 6 months, fit for people to live in, and suitable for the number of people to be accommodated.

Suitability requirements to be approved as a sponsor

To ensure you meet the requirements for approval as a sponsor under the Scheme, the Home Office will conduct security and criminal checks on you as well as on all adults aged 18 and over who will be living in the same household as the guests.

Your local authority will complete checks on the accommodation and living arrangements to determine your suitability as a sponsor. They will also decide which type of Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks are required in line with government guidance. You will not be charged for these checks.

Accommodation

All accommodation will be different and while there is no set expectation, your accommodation needs to be free from serious health and safety hazards. You should make sure your home is safe for your guests and that it is in a suitable condition. You will need to make sure that you have a working fire alarm, a carbon monoxide alarm in any room containing a solid fuel burning appliance, and a safe gas supply. You should also make sure that your guests have access to kitchen and bathroom space.

You should also consider how many people you can accommodate so they have sufficient space. The law states that two people should not be in one room unless they are: adult cohabiting partners; a parent and child; two siblings of the same gender if aged over 10; two siblings regardless of gender if aged under 10. Individuals who didn’t previously know each other should not be given the same room.

Full information is available on: