EU Nationals And Brexit - Your Trustees, Your Members, Your Staff, Your Volunteers, Your Beneficiaries And Your Communities.

8th February 2021

The residential status of EU citizens
One of the areas with the most certainty is the residential rights of EU citizens. Any EU national currently living in Scotland can apply to the UK Government for settled status. Broadly speaking anyone living in the UK for at least five years should receive settled status and be eligible to live, work and study in the UK indefinitely.

If they have lived in the UK for less than five years, then they will receive pre-settled status which expires after five years from the date that status is given. During that period, once the individual has lived in the UK for five consecutive years, they can then apply for settled status.

Full details on the scheme can be found on the UK Government webpage here and advice from the Citizens Advice Bureau can be found here. The Scottish Government has provided a toolkit for EU citizens wishing to stay in Scotland here.

The deadline for applications is 30 June 2021; however any EU national wishing to achieve settled (or pre-settled if appropriate) status should apply as soon as possible. This includes those among your trustees, your members, your staff, your volunteers, your beneficiaries and your communities.

Anyone who has not applied for settled status after 30 June 2021 will no longer be eligible to stay in the UK. It is vital that all EU nationals are aware of what they must do to prevent this happening.

For more information and links to what to do go HERE