Sky News
The government’s Brexit scheme that means EU citizens must reapply for the right to live and work in the UK is unlawful, the High Court has ruled.
The EU Settlement Scheme opened in March 2019 and meant all EU citizens who wanted to remain in the UK after the Brexit transition period ended on 31 December 2020 had to apply for residency by June 2021.
If they had lived in the UK for a continuous five-year period at the time, they were given settled status but those who had been in the UK for less time were given pre-settled status.
EU citizens with pre-settled status have to reapply for settled status on reaching five years’ continuous residence in the UK or risk losing their residence rights, meaning they could not work, receive healthcare and education and apply for housing and benefits.
The Independent Monitoring Authority (IMA), a body set up to oversee citizens’ rights, took legal action against the Home Office in December as it argued the government is breaching the…
