Thank you for constituents who have recently contacted me
concerning the EU Settled Status Scheme and the Scheme's ability
to operate in light of the impact of COVID-19.
The EU Settlement Scheme has been open since 30 March 2019. More
than 3 million have already been granted status and EU, other EEA and Swiss
citizens, and their family members still have 15 months before the deadline of
30 June 2021 to apply.
Applicants only need to complete 3 steps – prove their identity
(via passport and other ID documents), show that they live in the UK (which can
also be done via HMRC, DWP and other government records), and declare any
criminal convictions they may have.
Contrary to what this email campaign suggests, the Scheme has not
been suspended by the Home Office. In line with the latest Public Health
England advice, some of the support services and application routes have
temporarily changed.
However, individuals can continue to apply using any laptop or
mobile device and they can still use the “EU Exit ID Document check app” to
complete the identity stage of their application.
While applications continue to be processed, during this challenging
time they will take longer than usual. A range of support continues to be
available online, by email and telephone for those who have questions or need
help applying: https://www.gov.uk/help-eu-settlement-scheme
The Home Office is keeping this situation under constant review
and will endeavour to reinstate support services and application routes to
their original capacity in line with public health guidance.
Having engaged with the policy idea on a number of occasions in
recent months, I do not support the idea of declaratory system where
EU citizens won’t have to register and could potentially bypass all of the
checks that will be in place under our immigration system.
I understand the declaratory system is now being branded as the
"Right to Stay". To be clear, EU Citizens already have the right to
stay and remain in the UK and the Settled Status Scheme to enshrine and protect
EU Citizens' right to stay in the UK going forward, with latest statistics
showing that the vast majority of applicants have secured status without
any trouble.
Since Windrush, the Home Office have been extra cautious in
preventing a repeat of the scandal.
Giving people a digitalised status, and ensuring that they have a
trackable record of their application and status by asking them to apply, is
the way forward to prevent a future Windrush scandal.
The Government also needs to be able to distinguish between those
who have come here before/after Brexit, and this system allows for that
distinction to be easily made.
By all accounts the Government is achieving great success with
this policy and EU citizens and community groups have welcomed this scheme and
more engaged approach from the Home Office.
All EU citizens living in Cornwall and the UK are valued members
of our community and I have always been clear in communicating my message of
support and welcome to them - I want them to stay after the implementation
period and continue to live, work and contribute to society. If any EU
citizens are experiencing particular difficulty with securing their status to
remain in the UK after Brexit, please do by all means get in touch with me on office@stevedouble.org.uk. My team
and I would only be too happy to assist them.
