PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Immigration: EU Nationals (21 June 2021)

There are no plans to extend the 30 June 2021 deadline for applications to the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) by those EU citizens and their family members resident in the UK by the end of the transition period.

The Home Office has invested nearly £8 million in marketing campaigns to encourage EU citizens and their family members to apply to the EUSS. We recently launched a new wave of UK advertising to ensure EU citizens and their family members are aware of the deadline and know they need to apply. We are also working closely with employers, local authorities and charities to raise awareness.

We have continued to receive and process thousands of applications a day to the EUSS throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, with more than 5.2 million applications concluded by 31 May 2021. We are committed to making sure everybody eligible for the scheme can apply, including those who are vulnerable or need extra support. There is significant help available from a network of 72 organisations across the UK grant funded by the Home Office with £22 million to help vulnerable people apply to the EUSS, including after the 30 June 2021 deadline.

In line with the Citizens’ Rights Agreements, we have made clear where a person eligible for status under the scheme has reasonable grounds for missing the 30 June 2021 deadline, they will be given a further opportunity to apply. Non-exhaustive guidance on reasonable grounds for submitting a late application was published on 1 April 2021 and will underpin a flexible and pragmatic approach to dealing with such applications.