Home Office must let EU nationals with unresolved settled status applications work, access healthcare and draw benefits

The Home Office must let EU nationals with unresolved applications for settled status continue to work, draw benefits and access healthcare, says a global immigration law firm Fragomen. Guidance on late applications is also urgently needed.

EU, EEA and Swiss nationals living in the UK have just one week to apply for settled status or face losing the ability to start a new job, rent a home, open a bank account and access healthcare

Whilst the Home Office reports some 5.4m people have applied for settled status, it is estimated that there are many thousands of EU nationals that are yet to have their applications determined.

They should not be penalised for delays or whilst appeals are being heard, says Nadine Goldfoot, UK Managing Partner at Fragomen, a global immigration firm.

Nadine Goldfoot said: “Many thousands of individuals face becoming illegal immigrants overnight, losing the right to start a new job, rent a new flat and unable to access non-emergency health care despite having lived in the UK for many years and with applications yet to be determined or appeals pending.

“The Home Office has gone to extraordinary lengths to make settled status applications as easy as possible, and we would urge it to adopt the same approach to individuals with undetermined status and allow them to continue to work, draw benefits and access healthcare.

“This is vitally important as it will be those who are most vulnerable in our society that will be hit hardest.”

Fragomen also calls on the Home Office to provide clarity on late applications.

Nadine Goldfoot said: “The Home Office says late applications will be treated fairly and whilst that is admirable, it is also entirely meaningless. We will need to know how the Home Office treats late applications. Will they be granted or refused? It will be critical to see how long late applications take to process – very few people will be able to wait even a few weeks for a decision without a job, a home or important medical treatment.”