Help and advice for guests
We’re proud to welcome you to our part of the UK and we hope you find a safe home here.
People in East Sussex have been moved by the invasion of Ukraine and the suffering it has caused. Many have offered you a place to stay and want to continue to support you.
More than 1,800 Ukrainian guests are now living in East Sussex. Many have full time jobs and have moved out of their hosts' homes. We look forward to welcoming those of you who are due to arrive soon.
About East Sussex
East Sussex is a beautiful place on the UK’s south coast, around 70km south of London.
About 550,000 people live here. Our largest towns - Eastbourne, Bexhill and Hastings - are on the coast. Our coastline mixes pebble beaches, a long sandy strip and some famous chalk cliffs.
Away from the coast are farms, hills, woods and heaths – and smaller towns such as Lewes, Hailsham, Uckfield, Crowborough and Battle.
You can reach London by train from many parts of East Sussex in 75 to 120 minutes.
A small port at Newhaven offers ferry crossings to France. Gatwick airport, one of the main airports serving London, is to the west of the county.
The city of Brighton and Hove is also slightly to the west.
East Sussex is a county. England has 27 rural counties like East Sussex, plus larger cities such as London, Birmingham and Manchester.
East Sussex has into 5 districts. These districts (or boroughs) are:
- Eastbourne
- Lewes
- Hastings
- Rother
- Wealden
Whichever part of East Sussex you stay in, we’re sure you will find a friendly welcome.
Find out more about East Sussex.