Started by people who’ve been there

UACT began with a group of like-minded people. When the full-scale war in Ukraine began, we came together — volunteers, interpreters and neighbours, many of whom had once started a new life in a new country themselves.

We wanted to do something practical: help people who had fled the war to settle in, understand how things work here, and get through one of the hardest periods of their lives.

In December 2023 we registered United Action Charity Trust. Our aim is simple: to help people adapt, find their feet and become a real strength for the community they now live in.

Today we help refugees, asylum seekers and migrant workers from many countries — from Ukraine to Central Asia and beyond.

We come from different countries and professions, and between us we speak Ukrainian and English. What unites us is simple: we help people the way we would want our own families to be helped.

• Trustees, who give their time freely to govern the charity
• Volunteers and interpreters, who share their time and their languages
• Partners in councils, charities and community groups across England and Wales

• Plain language — we explain things simply and check you’ve understood
• Respect — no judgement, whatever your situation
• Lived experience — many of us were newcomers once
• Independence — we’re a registered charity, not part of the government

• Registered charity in England and Wales, no. 1206312 (a CIO, registered December 2023)
• Our trustees are volunteers and receive no payment from the charity
• Our annual returns and accounts are public on the Charity Commission register

See our entry on the Charity Commission register