COVID-19: NHS and frontline medical staff get free places to stay on Airbnb

• Hosts on Airbnb are offering NHS and other frontline medical staff free places to stay, and Airbnb will waive all fees associated with the stays.
• The initiative is a local expansion of Airbnb’s global ambition to connect 100,000 COVID-19 responders with accommodation. 
• Nearly 1,500 places to stay have already been offered by hosts in the UK.

Hosts on Airbnb are offering NHS and other frontline medical staff free places to stay while they carry out their critical work, and Airbnb is waiving all fees for the stays. Hosts across the UK can opt into the programme and offer an entire home property through Airbnb’s Open Homes platform, created in 2012 to meet the needs of people requiring emergency housing. 

The initiative is a local expansion of a new global programme by Airbnb to help house 100,000 healthcare professionals, relief workers, and first responders battling the coronavirus outbreak around the world. Nearly 1,500 places to stay have already been offered by hosts in the UK.

The entire country is behind our heroic NHS and medical staff as they battle the coronavirus outbreak. We have made it our priority to stand with the Airbnb community to do what we can to help. By working together, we can ensure that frontline workers can find a free and convenient place to stay as they continue their critical work. We thank our doctors and nurses across the country from the bottom of our hearts and are grateful to hosts who have already opened their homes during these difficult times.

Patrick Robinson, Director of Public Policy, at Airbnb

Airbnb staff will offer direct support to NHS hospitals and trusts, and other healthcare organisations, and help their frontline staff book accommodation.

The initiative builds on programmes already launched in Italy and France where Airbnb and local partners, including the French Government, announced that doctors, nurses, caregivers and other medical support staff who are responding to the outbreak in the country can access accommodation on Airbnb. More than 8,000 hosts have so far offered their homes in Italy and France and 20,000 globally. 

Are you a host who can make your space available to NHS and other medical staff?

Any host who is willing to provide free accommodation to frontline healthcare professionals should visit airbnb.co.uk/d/medicalstaysuk for details. 

Are you a NHS hospital, trust, or other healthcare organisation searching for accommodation for staff?

To get set up on the platform and help your frontline staff book accommodation please visit airbnb.co.uk/d/medicalstaysuk for more information. 

Are you a doctor, nurse or healthcare worker looking for a place to stay?

Please visit airbnb.co.uk/d/medicalstaysuk for more details.