The Government has reminded the general public and businesses that the deadline for the EU Settlement Status scheme applications is on the horizon and that applicants should ensure they have correctly provided their details. 30^th June 2021 is the application deadline and there are more than 1,500 people employed in the Home Office team working on the scheme’s operations. 

European citizens in the UK are encouraged to apply so that their rights can be secured in UK law. Data published today reveals that up to 31^st December 2020 there were 4.9 million applications made so far. This includes more than 4.4 million applications from England, 243,600 from Scotland, 80,700 from Wales and 78,500 from Northern Ireland up to 31 December 2020. The scheme was launched on 30^th March 2019 and it is thought that there are about three million EU citizens living in the UK who will need to apply for the scheme.

Settled status will grant a person the same rights to healthcare, education, benefits and pensions as a British citizen. The Home Office intends to provide all EU nationals who have been accepted onto the scheme with a digital record, but these will not be required until after 30 June 2021. Anyone who is a citizen of an EU country currently living in the UK and who wants to carry on living in the UK, will need to apply to the scheme - even if they are married to someone British. Exceptions to the scheme include: British citizens, Irish citizens, those born in the UK with at least one parent who has settled status and people entitled to permanent residency to the UK.

The EU Settlement Scheme uses cutting edge technology, including the EU Exit: ID Document Check app which allows people to apply from the comfort of their own home in as little as 15 minutes. Three bursts of marketing have been run up until now, at a cost of £4.6 million. Please see more information on applying here: https://www.gov.uk/settled-status-eu-citizens-families