Brexit begins on 1 July. From that date, “hostile environment” checks apply to EU citizens in earnest. It will no longer be possible to satisfy an immigration status check — for benefits, employment or a tenancy — by flashing an EU passport. Instead, as Home Office guidance puts it, EU nationals “will be required to provide evidence of lawful immigration status in the UK, in the same way as other foreign nationals”.
For those living in the UK before the end of 2020, evidence of lawful immigration status is likely to mean pre-settled or status granted under the EU Settlement Scheme. Applications to that scheme are, for the most part, also required before 1 July; people who haven’t applied by then will invariably run into the hostile environment.
What happens to those people is the subject of this podcast. Chris Benn from
Seraphus, as ever our indispensable guide to all things Settlement Scheme, has the latest word on what EU residents can expect if not among the 5 million people who have already secured their pre-settled or settled status.
If you prefer it in writing: we’ve
previously reviewed the guidance on making late applications, and will put out a briefing on the approach to enforcement, drawing on Chris’s intel, next week.