Home Office EU Settlement scheme to open to staff
07 Nov 2018
As the UK prepares to leave the European Union, we know that this is a particularly concerning time for staff from non-UK European countries. That is why we’re pleased to be able to announce that we are part of a new pilot scheme from the Home Office which will allow staff to apply to continue to live and work in the UK after 2021.
The University has also decided that the £65 application fee which the Home Office has stipulated will be refunded to staff.
From 15 November, University colleagues who are resident in the UK and are either non-UK EU citizens, or non-EU citizens currently in the UK as a family member of an EU citizen, are being invited by the Home Office to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme. This is part of a pilot before the scheme is rolled out to all resident EU citizens and their family members across the UK in March 2019.
The EU Settlement Scheme will allow EU citizens and their family members to continue to live, work and study here in the UK after June 2021. It will mean that they continue to be eligible for:
- public services, such as healthcare and schools
- public funds and pensions
- British citizenship, if they want to apply and meet the requirements.
Eligibility
To be eligible for EU settlement, you will need to be an EU citizen (or a relative of a UK-based EU citizen), resident in the UK by 31 December 2020. The application process will consist of verifying your identity and residence in the UK, and a criminality check. Once confirmed by the Home Office as eligible, you will be granted either settled status (if you have been resident in the UK for five years or more) or pre-settled status (if you have been resident in the UK less than five years).
To take part in the pilot exercise, you will need to be in possession of a biometric EU passport or ID card, or a UK-issued biometric residence permit (BRP), which you will scan using an Android device (smartphone or tablet). You will provide proof of residence by supplying your National Insurance number, or if this is not available you will scan and submit other supporting documents.
You will then be given an indicative outcome of your application (pending checks) and if you agree with that you will then pay the fee for processing your application. The University will refund this fee. The method for doing this is currently being arranged and will be communicated when the scheme opens next week. Alternatively if you disagree with the indicative outcome, you are given the opportunity to supply further information online.
After checks have taken place, you will receive an e-mail containing a letter confirming your status, and also be given access to your online status which you can share with future employers and service providers, when this becomes a requirement after June 2021.
Taking part
To take part in the November pilot, you will need to register your interest with the Home Office. We will provide you with the contact details to register when we have these – we expect to receive them from the Home Office early next week. These will be published on StaffNet and our website and non-UK EU staff will be contacted directly at the end of the month.
We know that this is an unsettling time for our colleagues from non-UK EU countries and we will support you as much as possible during this period. This is why we have agreed to refund the Home Office fee.
The University will continue to make representations in support of our staff and students and collaborators who are affected in different ways by the consequences of the referendum vote.
Further information
In the meantime, if you want to read more about the pilot scheme, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions and the Home Office website. We will also be updating our EU website for staff as soon as new information becomes available.
Karen Heaton
Director of Human Resources