As the Ukraine situation develops, we’re doing all we can to support you and the Ukrainian people. We’ve put together a list of frequently asked questions to help with any queries you might have.
Opening a Santander bank account if you’re a Ukrainian refugee
Відкриття банківського рахунку Сантандер, якщо ви є біженцем з України
We can help you apply for a Santander Basic Current Account. You can apply online or visit one of our branches. You can find out which one of our branches is closest to you using our branch locator
Ми вам зможемо допомогти подати заявку на відкриття Сантандер Базового банківського рахунку. Ви можете подати заявку в онлайн або відвідати одне з наших відділень. Ви можете перевірити котрий із нашиx відділень є найближчим до вас скористувавшись нашим навігатором
Some examples of standard documents are listed below:
- Proof of who you are: biometrics residency card. When you upload the Biometrics card make sure you upload front and back. And:
- Proof of where you live: address confirmation, e.g. National Insurance, Universal Credit, Child Benefit or HMRC correspondence, utility bill etc.
- Take a look at the full list of our standard documentation
If you haven’t got the sort of documents we talk about above please go into any branch with:
- Your passport and passport vignette for the Ukrainian Family scheme, or.
- Passport, passport page with UK entry stamp (6 months) and Home Office letter, or the email you used to enter the UK (original visa letter).
Деякі приклади стандартних документів наведено нижче:
- Доказ того, хто ви є: біометрична картка резидента. Будь ласка зауважте, коли ви завантажуєте Біометричну картку, переконайтеся, що ви завантажили обидві сторони цієї картки. А також:
- Доказ того, де ви проживаєте: підтвердження адреси, наприклад: Номер національного страхування, Соціальна допомога (універсальний кредит), допомога на дітей або інші листи з Податкової служби (HMRC), рахунки про комунальні послуги тощо.
- Перегляньте повний список наших стандартних документів
Якщо у вас не має документів зазначених вище, будь ласка відвідайте одне з наших відділень разом з:
- Вашим паспортом і віньєткою по Українській сімейній схемі, або з
- Паспортом, сторінкою в паспорті з в’їздним штампом (на 6 місяців) та листом з Хоум офісу, чи імейл, з яким ви заїхали до Великобританії (оригінал візового листа).
Making payments to Ukraine, Russia or Belarus
Yes, currently you can continue to make international payments online, over the phone and in our branches. Please include the recipient's address to help avoid delays.
Whether you’re paying a person or a business, we try to keep delays to a minimum. We do need to make extra checks to make sure we comply with the latest sanctions, so payments may be delayed. As payments need to comply with the latest sanctions, in some instances, it may not be possible to make them.
This helps with the additional checks we need to undertake to make sure we comply with the latest sanctions. If we don’t have the address, we may need to contact you for it before we make the payment, which will cause additional delays.
As part of our response to the current crisis, we are not charging the international payment fee of £25 for payments to Ukraine. Depending on how you make the payment (telephone, online or branch), you may initially be charged a fee. Don't worry, it will be refunded by the end of the next working day. Please make sure you choose the option to pay the fee when you make the payment, don’t request for the fee to be paid by the recipient in Ukraine.
Additionally, there’ll be no processing fee for customers wishing to deposit cheques from Ukrainian banks.
International payments to Russia and Belarus are restricted as we comply with all recently imposed sanctions on both countries. The situation is constantly changing, so if you’re making payments to these countries, please be aware that there will be delays while we review them and, in some instances, it may not be possible to make them.
Receiving payments from Ukraine, Russia or Belarus
We are working to get money received by us from Ukraine paid into accounts with minimum delays but given the current situation we need to make extra checks which could delay receipt of your payment. We will aim to check payments as soon as possible. As payments need to comply with the latest sanctions, in some instances, it may not be possible to make them.
If you have alerts set up on your account you’ll get a notification when your funds reach us. Once a payment reaches us we may need to make additional checks to make sure we comply with the latest sanctions. There may be some delay between receiving the text notification and having access to the funds in your account. We’re working on things as fast as we can to keep delays to a minimum. As payments need to comply with the latest sanctions, in some instances, it may not be possible to make them.
Once a payment reaches us, we may need to make additional checks to make sure we comply with the latest sanctions. We’re working on things as fast as we can to keep delays to a minimum. As payments need to comply with the latest sanctions, in some instances, it may not be possible to make them.
International payments from Russia and Belarus are restricted as we comply with all recently imposed sanctions on both countries. The situation is constantly changing, so if you’re receiving payments from these countries, please be aware that there will be delays while we review them and, in some instances, it may not be possible to receive them.
About the Homes for Ukraine scheme
Santander is proud to support the Homes for Ukraine scheme. This government scheme allows you to volunteer accommodation to a Ukrainian national or the immediate family member of a Ukrainian national who was resident in Ukraine before 1 January 2022.
From Friday 18 March the scheme is initially open for visa applications from Ukrainians and immediate family members who already have named people in the UK willing to sponsor them. Either the prospective sponsor or the person wishing to be sponsored can complete the application.
If you want to be a sponsor but you don’t personally know anyone fleeing Ukraine, you can register your interest on the government’s webpage
- If you have a spare room in your own home or unoccupied, self-contained accommodation, you can be considered.
- 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.
- Eligibility checks will be carried out, they may include a visit to your home.
- The government is offering an optional ‘thank you’ payment of £350 per month per residential address for as long as you sponsor somebody, up to 12 months.
You don’t need to tell us and your mortgage terms and conditions will remain the same. Before deciding if you want to offer accommodation, it’s worth considering the following:
- Think about the financial impact of hosting non-paying guests in your own home or unoccupied, self-contained accommodation. The optional £350 ‘thank you’ monthly payment from the government may not be enough to cover the additional costs you might pay, such as higher energy bills.
- Be aware that we do not carry out any suitability checks. Your local authority will carry out standard security and safety checks and visit your accommodation to make sure everything is in place for you and your guest(s).
- Check if you need to let your home insurance provider know in case it impacts your policy.
Read the government’s Homes for Ukraine frequently asked questions
We recommend that you carefully consider taking part in the scheme if you’re struggling to make your mortgage payments, your mortgage is already in arrears and/or your property is being repossessed. Please call us on 0800 023 4603 as it could have a further negative impact on your ability to make your mortgage payments and your property may be at risk. Or alternatively, you can seek free independent financial advice from one of our partners such as PayPlan or Step Change
Our home insurance will cover you and there’s no need to do anything.
- We’ll treat Ukrainian refugees as guests, and they’ll be covered by your policy in the same way as guests living in the home.
- If you wish to accommodate them in your second home, guest home or rental property, you don’t need to tell us and there’ll be no additional premium.
- We suggest that you check your policy to make sure it meets your needs.
If your policy is due for renewal within the first 12 months of them living with you in your home, you won’t need to tell us. If, after 12 months, any individuals or family are still living with you, then you’ll need to tell us when your policy is next due for renewal.
No. You don’t need to inform us and your cover will stay the same. You should let us know when your policy is due for renewal.
No, cover does not include driving in Ukraine. Damage or injury caused by war, conflicts or similar events is a common exclusion in motor insurance policies.
Making card payments in Russia
No. Currently your debit or credit card won’t be accepted to make a payment in Russia or Belarus, as Mastercard and Visa have made the decision to suspend processing payments to and from Russia and Belarus.