Will Brexit leave most vulnerable EU citizens without the right to stay in UK?
The House of Lords EU Justice Committee is investigating whether some of the most vulnerable EU citizens currently living in the UK will be able to stay in the country after Brexit.
The UK Government's EU Settlement Scheme is designed to allow EU nationals to continue to live in the UK after it leaves the EU; a standard application involves the use of smartphone app to verify the applicant's identity and an online form for UK residence and criminality checks. Many of the most vulnerable groups – including children in care, domestic abuse survivors and people who are homeless – are unlikely to have access to the documents they need to prove their identity and residency. They may also not have access to the internet or a smart phone, or even be aware that they need to apply.
The House of Lords EU Justice Sub-Committee will be asking witnesses who work with vulnerable groups about their experiences of the EU Settlement Scheme and the challenges that people face in securing their right to remain post-Brexit.
The evidence session will start at 10:45am on Tuesday 4 February in Committee Room 3 of the House of Lords. The Committee will be hearing from:
- Matt Downie, Director of Policy and External Affairs, Crisis;
- Marianne Lagrue, Refugee and Migrant Children's Consortium; and
- Nicole Masri, Senior Legal Officer, Rights of Women.
Topics likely to be covered include: the barriers people face in applying though the Scheme, the level of support available, the consequences if people fail to apply and what more, if anything, the Government could do to help.
