fbpx

How It Works

An Overview of Hosting

Hosting with Wiltshire Host Families is a rewarding experience that connects you with international students and offers them a true English experience. 

You don’t need to be an experienced host to join us – we’ll provide you with all of the support, guidance and knowledge to make it an enjoyable and rewarding experience.

Here’s a guide to help you understand how hosting works and what you need to know.

Play Video

Getting Started

To become a host family, you can apply through our website, call us, email us, or message us on Facebook. 

Our Operations Manager, Jo Cass (or one of her experienced colleagues), will walk you through the process, including a home visit to ensure suitability. Once this has been done, you’ll need to complete our free safeguarding course and, if necessary, obtain a DBS check. 

We can arrange the DBS for you and deduct the cost (around £60) from your first pay packet.

Your Responsibilities

Hosting students is incredibly simple and by following our guidance, an enjoyable and rewarding experience.

Allocating Students

Students are allocated to host families based on availability and location. Hosts have the opportunity to request specific preferences, such as the gender of the student and the number of students they wish to host.

Advance Notice:

Allocation typically happens 4-5 weeks in advance. This allows ample time for hosts to prepare and ensure everything is in place for the students’ arrival.

Preferences:

Hosts can specify their preferences when applying, and we do our best to match these requests to ensure a good fit.

Payment & Compensation

Hosts are paid weekly, in cash, on the first morning of the hosting period.

The tax-free payment rate per night for 2024 is £19 per student and £23.50/adult.

Additional Expenses:

If a student has specific dietary requirements that incur extra costs, additional funds may be provided to cover these expenses.

Financial Documentation:

Tax free payments of up to £7500/year are covered under the Government’s rent-a-room scheme, which simplifies the financial aspects of hosting.

Who Can Host?

Why Host?