WIREDGOV

Latest published statistics show that there were almost 300,000 applications to the scheme in the month of August.

The government yesterday (12 September 2019) announced that more than 1.5 million people have applied to the EU Settlement Scheme.

It comes as the Home Office published the latest official statistics on the EU Settlement Scheme up to 31 August 2019, showing that by the end of that month over 1.1 million applicants had been granted status under the scheme.

The figures show that almost 300,000 people applied in the month of August. Over 1.2 million applications had been received from individuals in England, with marked increases also seen in applications from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Complete applications are typically being processed within 1 to 4 days.

The highest number of applications came from Polish nationals, with over 60,000 applications in August – more than double the number received in July.

Minister of State for the Home Office Brandon Lewis yesterday said:

We’ve been crystal clear – EU citizens are our friends and neighbours, and we want them to stay in the UK. I am delighted that over 1.5 million people have already applied.

We are looking for reasons to grant status and this week I visited our hard working Settlement Resolution team in Liverpool to see first-hand how we are supporting EU citizens to protect their rights and get the status they need.

The EU Settlement Scheme is designed to make it straightforward for EU citizens and their family members to stay after the UK leaves the EU. To apply they only need to complete 3 key steps – prove their identity, show that they live in the UK and declare any criminal convictions.

There is a wide range of support available for EU citizens and their families via phone, email and in person.

More than 1,500 Home Office staff are working on the scheme and there is a dedicated Settlement Resolution Centre, where staff are providing tailored support to guide applicants through the process.

Applicants can call the dedicated helpline on 0300 123 7379 from within the UK or +44 (0)203 080 0010 from outside the UK if they require assistance.

There are also over 300 assisted digital locations supporting those with limited computer access or skills and a network of 57 organisations, funded by the Home Office, helping vulnerable people such as the homeless, disabled and elderly to apply.

Pam Gill, Deputy Chief Executive Officer at The Refugee and Migrant Centre, which has received almost £200,000 of Home Office grant funding, yesterday said:

We welcome the EU Settlement Scheme’s progress with over 1.5 million people having now applied for the status they need in order to live and work in the UK after Brexit.

At The Refugee and Migrant Centre we support EU citizens and their families in the Black Country and Birmingham to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme and we have already assisted over 3,500 people with this simple and straightforward process.

We want to do more and we encourage all eligible EU citizens and their families to apply so that they too can feel confident about their future in the United Kingdom after Brexit.

Employers are also stepping in to support their own staff to make applications and making use of a Home Office employer’s toolkit, designed to give them practical advice to support their staff.

Deal or no deal, EU citizens and their family members will have until at least 31 December 2020 to apply.

The figure of 1.5 million people having applied has been obtained from internal management information and is not part of the published statistics.