Become a Host Family
Turn Your Spare Room Into a Second Income
YES Guardians pays host families across the UK to provide a home from home for international students during school holidays and exeat weekends. It’s paid, professional work, fully supported from your first placement.
Accredited. Recognised. Awarded.
What hosting actually pays
Whether you’re looking to host every exeat, every weekend, or just a few times a year, we’ll work with your availability. There’s never any pressure to accept a booking that doesn’t suit you. We pay competitive rates, review them annually, and increase them wherever possible. At YES Guardians, our hosts aren’t forgotten about or overlooked. They are treated as the vital part of the system that keeps the students happy when the schools are closed.
Most hosts earn well within the Government’s Rent a Room Scheme — up to £7,500 a year, completely tax-free.
Source: HMRC Rent a Room Scheme, 2026/27 tax year
“Hosting paid for our summer holiday this year — we didn’t touch our savings, and had a lot of laughs in the process”.
— [Stephanie and Philip], [Brighton]
“I still can’t believe that cooking a little extra dinner and opening up our spare room has helped pay for our holidays. We were already making the meal and the room was sitting empty anyway, hosting now we know is an absolute no-brainer.”
— [Amy and Rob], [Cheltenham]
It’s genuine income, and thanks to the Rent a Room Scheme, most of it can be entirely tax-free. This is paid, professional work — backed by the same AEGIS Gold accreditation that governs every part of how we run YES Guardians.
The Questions You Actually Have
How much will I earn? Competitive rates, reviewed every year, increased wherever we can. Most hosting income falls within the tax-free Rent a Room Scheme.
How often do I have to host? As often or as little as suits you — no minimum, no pressure to accept a booking that doesn’t work. Although we do ask for commitment once confirmed.
Will I be supported? Yes a 24/7 emergency contact and dedicated support for every placement, from before you start to after each stay.
Is this easy to get started? Applying takes a few minutes, all online via a form where we get to know you. We are happy to take questions, and after the form, will ask for photos and arrange a visit.
We have hosted since 2007. We Know, Because We Host Too
AEGIS Gold Standard
Best UK Guardianship 2024–2026
Southwest Prestige Awards 2026/27
Marc, our Director and Guardian with a student he is hosting
Hayley, our Director and Guardian with a student she is hosting
“We host too. We know exactly what it’s like having a stranger’s child at your kitchen table for the first time — and YES Guardians is built around making that easy, safe, and worth your while.”
We're Looking for Host Families Across the UK
Wherever you’re based, if you have a spare room and can offer a safe, welcoming home, we want to hear from you. We match host families to students based on location, so the more areas we’re represented in, the more students we can support.
Everything You Need to Know
How much will I earn hosting?
It’s genuine income, and thanks to the Rent a Room Scheme, most of it can be entirely tax-free. This is paid, professional work — backed by the same AEGIS Gold accreditation that governs every part of how we run YES Guardians.
How often do I have to host?
That’s entirely up to you — from a single weekend a year to every exeat and holiday. No minimum commitment, no pressure.
Will I be supported as a host?
Yes. Every host has a 24/7 emergency contact and a dedicated point of contact for each placement.
Do I need a DBS check?
Yes — an enhanced DBS check is required of all hosts as part of our AEGIS Gold accreditation. If you don’t already hold one, we’ll guide you through getting it.
Ready to Start Earning From Your Spare Room?
Applications take a few minutes. We’ll be in touch within a few days to talk through your availability, your home, and what hosting could look like for your family.