UPDATE on Ukraine Scheme National Information - 15:30 21/02/24
Advice
Changes to the Ukraine Schemes 19/02/24
• Existing Ukraine scheme guests can, in the last 3 months of their permission to stay in the UK, apply to a new permission extension which can grant an additional 18 months permission to stay in the UK.
o For some, this could mean 4.5 years total stay in the UK.
Do note that the Ukraine schemes were designed to not provide a pathway to permanent settlement through the existing residency routes, such as the 5-year route.
• New applicants to the Ukraine schemes will have a shortened permission to stay in the UK, reducing from 3 years down to 18 months.
o There is the caveat that people who apply would, near the end of this permission, be able to apply to the new extension scheme. If done at the right time (not too early) this could take their maximum permission to stay just shy of 3 years.
• With immediate effect as of 19th February, sponsors will have to be UK or Irish citizens, or have settled status in the UK (a permanent right to live here). This closes the route for Ukraine scheme guests becoming sponsors themselves.
• The Ukraine Family Scheme was shut with immediate effect on Monday at 3pm.
o The (pre-existing) Ukraine Extension Scheme is still due to close on 16th May 2024, unless for a child born in the UK.
For children born in the UK to Ukraine scheme guests, they will continue to be able to apply, and their permission to stay will be aligned with their parents where the parents’ permission ends later.
• There have also been changes to the grounds for refusal to the Ukraine schemes. Grounds for refusal in the Appendix Ukraine Scheme for the remaining ‘Homes for Ukraine (HFU), ‘Ukraine Extension (UES) Schemes have been expanded to include previous breach of immigration laws or failure to provide required information.
Auto-Enrolment Workplace Pensions
Workplace pensions are schemes that help to save money towards your retirement. Those who meet certain criteria while working here in the UK will be automatically enrolled into a workplace pension scheme. They are those that:
• Are over the age of 22, but under state pension age (which you can check here)
• Are not already enrolled in a pension scheme
• And earn over a certain threshold (£10,000 per year for the 2023/24 financial year)
o Those who earn over £6,240 per year (2023/24 financial year), but under £10,000 can choose to opt in, but will not be enrolled automatically.
The minimum