Hosting
Your spare room could provide safety for a homeless refugee.
Join our community of hosts and turn your spare room into a safe place for a refugee whilst they rebuild their life.
Host Derby and Host Nottingham provide temporary accommodation with volunteer hosts in their own homes, offering a lifeline for vulnerable individuals:
Flexible Hosting: You choose the frequency and duration, from a few days to a few months.
Full Support: We provide comprehensive training and careful matching.
Real Impact: While you provide a room, we help your guest navigate their next steps toward a stable future.
Speak to a member of our team via phone or email to see if hosting works for you. No commitment.
Why does Hosting exist?
Those seeking asylum in the UK have experienced untold horrors in their home countries, fled their homes and travelled with great difficulty across the world to find safety here. Yet many find their claims for asylum rejected and are left homeless, penniless and without the right to work or support themselves in the UK. There are various reasons why people are refused asylum in the UK, including poor legal representation, lack of material evidence to support their claim (e.g. not having access to original paperwork or IDs from their home country), and poor decision-making by the Home Office. We know that many individuals who have been supported to find new solicitors or access new evidence have overturned their original asylum refusal. Having a safe place to stay is vital to those who are trying to reapply for asylum, and that's where Host Derby and Host Nottingham play an important part for these individuals.
Refugees who have been granted permission to stay are also at risk of homelessness. When somebody is granted refugee status, all their asylum support is withdrawn, and they have to leave their accommodation. Due to a huge lack in social housing, and private rental properties, it is incredibly difficult for newly granted refugees to find somewhere to live.
Upbeat hosts have already made a difference in the lives of those facing sleeping on the streets — but we are in need of more hosts as more and more refugees are made homeless.
Join our next information session to find out more about hosting by clicking the button below.
Hosting benefits two lives but don’t just take our word, hear from our hosts:
John
"I have a spare room and I really wanted to do something to help people in difficulty. It was really worthwhile and I know my guest really appreciated it"
Mary and Arthur
“Being able to watch and assist a person take the next steps along their journey, always pays back far more than any effort we are putting into the process.”
Samantha
"The support from Host Derby was great, it was so good to know someone was there if you needed help with anything.”
Speak to a member of our team via phone or email to see if hosting works for you. No commitment.
The next sessions will be:
Tuesday 23rd June—2pm
Thursday 25th June—6:30pm
The session will be online only and will be an hour long. You will have opportunity to chat with our team about hosting and see if is the right choice for you. Book your place today.
Interested in hearing more about hosting? Come to our next information session!
Change a refugee’s life in 3 supported steps.
1. Register your interest & chat to our team
Let us know you are interested in hosting using the form below and we will be in contact, we are more than happy to answer any questions you may have.
2. Get matched with a guest.
If hosting is a good fit for you, we match you with the right guest for your home.
3. Start hosting and support a refugee.
You are able to decide how long you want to host for, whether it be a few days or a few weeks. You will have regular check-ins with our team.
Frequently Asked Questions
Still have questions? Take a look at the FAQ or reach out anytime. Fill out your information with the form below and we will be in touch.
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Yes, you will never be expected to host someone you haven't met; we arrange introductory meetings online or in person. The final decision to move forward always rests with you, and there is no obligation if it doesn't feel like the right fit.
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Your primary role is to provide a safe, private, and welcoming room. You are not expected to be a social worker or lawyer, as Upbeat Communities handles all complex support and legalities.
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Safety is our top priority; we conduct background checks, take up references, and perform DBS checks where appropriate. We also focus on a thorough matching process to ensure the lodger fits well with your specific lifestyle.
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We provide a dedicated support worker to mediate any issues and facilitate healthy communication. If you need your room back, we simply ask for as much notice as possible so we can help your guest transition to their next home.
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With hosting, the scheme is full flexible. You can choose to host for a few days to a few months depending on your preferences.
Hear from our previous hosts…
Upbeat hosts have already made a difference in the lives of those facing sleeping on the streets — but we are in need of more hosts as more and more refugees are made homeless.
Interested in hosting? We’d love to chat with you!
Join our next information session to chat to a member of our team. Click the button to book your place today.
Ready to apply? Click the button and fill out the form today.
Please use the buttons below to apply for Host Derby or Host Nottingham, our emergency accommodation schemes for refugees and asylum seekers in need of a place to stay. Applications for our hosting schemes are open all year round.
Is Refugee Lodgings better for your home? Earn up to £7,500 tax-free rental income and change a refugee’s life.
While our hosting scheme focuses on short-term crisis support, our Refugee Lodgings scheme is designed for those who can offer a room for a fixed six-month period. It’s a great way to provide a refugee with a consistent home base while earning a tax-free rental income. We are currently seeking compassionate individuals and families in Derby who may be interested in opening their homes to support refugees. This is a unique opportunity to offer stability, friendship, and support at a critical moment in someone’s life.