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I am a Ukrainian arriving in Plymouth

If you are just arriving in the UK - welcome to Plymouth. 

To help you settle into life in Plymouth, these pages will sign post you to where you can provide help and support. In addition, a national guide has been created to help you adapt to UK life 

Welcome guide in English 

Welcome guide in Ukrainian

Welcome guide in Russian

When you arrive in Plymouth, you will be contacted by one of our partner organisations in the city - offering you ongoing help and support to adjust to life in the UK. This includes: 

START (Students and Refugees Together): They will help you access education / health services / housing and provide support on how to stay safe. 

PLYMOUTH AND DEVON RACIAL EQUALITY COUNCIL: They will help you meet up and form a network with other Ukrainians living in the city. 

ODILS LEARNING FOUNDATION: They will help you get into employment in the city. This could be by helping you or your family learn English, develop other vocational skills, volunteering etc. 

As a helpful guide, below is specific information regarding general services and support in Plymouth. 

Financial support and finding a job

Ukrainian guests are entitled to a one off £200 payment to help with immediate costs. Full details of eligibility for this payment (e.g. payments for children and babies) are being decided by the Government.

Please note: If you have arrived in the UK with a Ukrainian Family Visa, you are not entitled to the £200 payment.

You might be entitled to access further benefits. These are monthly payments to support you with living costs, such as travel and food. You can find out more about our benefits scheme and how to apply here.

You are entitled to work while you are living in the UK. Before you can start work, you need to apply for a National Insurance number. If you are unable to find a job straight away, or need additional financial support, you are eligible to apply for benefits immediately. Find out what support is available to you.

A local Jobcentre Plus, can also help you find employment and assess you for financial benefits.

English as a second language classes are available at ODILS and City College.

There are local organisations who offer support for refugees arriving into Plymouth to assist with applying for benefits, school admissions and registering with a GP. Please contact START on 07841 985 252 or 01752 255500 who will be able to assist you and refer you into appropriate services to support you and your family’s needs.

Education and support for children

Any child under 18 will be entitled to enroll in a local school. You will receive support to enroll in a school, but you can find out more information about the process here. Children will also receive additional support in schools from our Education, Participation and Skills team. This team will also be supporting schools that are accepting those Ukrainian children arriving into the city.

Plymouth Hope offers a range of activities and support for young people and can be contacted on 01752 289 071 or 07715 673 572

Healthcare

You will have access to free health care while in the UK, via the local National Health Service (NHS).

Accessing healthcare

Healthcare in the UK is provided by the National Health Service, known as the NHS. It is free for most services. You may have to pay for some services such as prescriptions and dental care. You can access the following services for free:

  • Family doctors, called General Practitioners (GPs)
  • Hospitals
  • Maternity services.

The NHS helps those who need medical treatment. They can also help with lots of other things, including:

  • Contraception
  • Family planning
  • Healthy eating
  • Mental health

The first thing you should do is register with a local GP. GP surgeries are usually the first contact if you have a health problem. They can treat many conditions and give health advice. They can also refer you to other NHS services, including mental health.

Dental care

You normally have to pay for dental care in the UK. In the following cases, it will be free.

  • If you are under the age of 18
  • If you are pregnant or have had a baby in the last 12 months. You will need a certificate to show in this case.
  • Some treatments are free, such as removing stitches or repairing dentures.

You need to register at a dentist surgery. Find your nearest dentist surgery.

Mental Health support

Mental health and wellbeing support services are available to you locally. If you have serious concerns about your mental health you should contact your GP. There is a dedicated Asylum Seeker and Refugee Mental Health Service offered by our partners Livewell South West. They also offer a health screening service if you have just arrived to the city. Livewell can be contacted by calling 01752 435502.

Support for vulnerable adults

Adult Social Care can help people who are elderly or have disabilities. They can also help you connect with local neighbourhood groups, and services such as libraries and health services.

They can also help you if you look after someone else.

When you contact Adult Social Care, they will carry out an assessment to find out what you need. They will also carry out a financial assessment to see if you have to pay anything.

Adult Social Care can help arrange for someone to come into your home to look after you. They can also arrange for a place in a care home. They can get specialist equipment to help you live in your home. They can give support and advice to people with physical or learning disabilities, or people with sensory disabilities.

Find out more about Adult Social Care.

Police and safety

You can contact the Police by calling 101 (non-emergency) or 999 (emergency).

There is support available if you need help for the following:

Living in Plymouth

Plymouth is a great place to live, with plenty to do locally.

Find out more:

  • Parks and open spaces
  • Gyms, sports and swimming - Plymouth Active are offering concessionary fitness and swim memberships at all our leisure centres to Ukrainians. These memberships can be discussed with reception teams.
  • Tourism
  • Libraries - Our libraries now have eBooks available in Ukrainian on our libraries app, free to anyone with a Plymouth library card. Physical books will follow soon. A group tour of your local library and a talk about what the library offers can be arranged

You can find out about local events, shops, bars and restaurants at Visit Plymouth.

More useful information:

General help

Ukrainian Embassy in London

Address: 60 Holland Park, London W11 3SJ United Kingdom

Telephone: 020 7727 6312

Ukrainian Institute

Address: Ukrainian Institute London 79 Holland Park, London, W11 3SW

The Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain (AUGB)

Address: AUGB Ltd (Head Office), 49 Linden Gardens, London, W2 4HG

For official information on travel advice to and from Ukraine visit GOV.UK.

Barnardo's helpline

Barnardo’s has set up a Ukrainian Support Helpline to provide a holistic support service for anyone arriving in the UK after fleeing the conflict in Ukraine.

The free helpline (0800 148 8586) is staffed by English, Ukrainian and Russian speakers and is open Monday to Friday (10am to 8pm) and Saturday (10am to 3pm). Callers can get help and advice on a range of topics.

You can also email: ukrainiansupport@barnardos.org.uk or visit the Barnardos website.

Contact

If you are unable to find the information you need on these pages or on our website you can contact us via email on ukraineresponses@plymouth.gov.uk.

For independent advice on the Homes for Ukraine scheme and living in the UK, you can visit: