Summary of EU citizens' rights

Whether you have (pre-)settled status, have applied and are waiting for a decision, or you haven't applied to the EU Settlement Scheme yet, we go in-depth into your rights in the UK.

Scroll down for information about rights of EU citizens* who are waiting for a decision or have not applied yet: 

Pre-settled or settled status

 

✅ Right to NHS primary medical care

Services including GP and A&E treatment see Doctors of the World briefing 

✅ Stay in existing job

See Right to Work guidance 

✅ Stay in existing rental

Only applies in England, you do not need to prove your right to rent in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland.

See Right to Rent guidance.

✅  Right to continue receiving existing benefits

See letter from DWP to Revenues and Benefit managers 

✅  Right to NHS secondary care services

See Doctors of the World briefing 

✅ Apply to a new job

See Right to Work guidance  

✅  Start a new rental

Only applies in England, you do not need to prove your right to rent in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland.

See Right to Rent guidance.

✅  Right to apply for new benefits

See DWP guidance 

✅  Travel into the UK

Advisable to take printout of decision letter and a screenshot of status from 'View and Prove' service.

See this webpage for more details, including for joining family members, and dual nationals who are British and don't have a British passport.

✅  Higher education 'home fee status' for the 2021/2022 academic year

Subject to residency requirements. Other eligibility criteria may apply to those with pre-settled status.

See Gov.UK website for rules for England

See UKCISA website and look at information for each of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. 

✅  Government Student financial support for the 2021/2022 academic year.

Subject to residency requirements. Other eligibility criteria may apply to those with pre-settled status, especially for extra help beyond tuition fee finance.

See Gov.UK website for rules for England

See UKCISA website and look at information for each of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. 

Waiting for decision on in-time application

In-time applications were submitted on or before 30 June 2021.

✅ Right to NHS primary medical care

Services including GP and A&E treatment see Doctors of the World briefing 

✅ Stay in existing job

See Right to Work guidance 

✅ Stay in existing rental

Only applies in England, you do not need to prove your right to rent in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland.

See Right to Rent guidance.

✅  Right to continue receiving existing benefits

See letter from DWP to Revenues and Benefit managers 

✅  Right to NHS secondary care services

See Doctors of the World briefing 

✅ Apply to a new job

See Right to Work guidance  

✅  Start a new rental

Only applies in England, you do not need to prove your right to rent in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland.

See Right to Rent guidance.

✅  Right to apply for new benefits

See DWP guidance 

✅  Travel into the UK

Advisable to take printout of decision letter and a screenshot of status from 'View and Prove' service.

See this webpage for more details, including for joining family members, and dual nationals who are British and don't have a British passport.

✅  Higher education 'home fee status' for the 2021/2022 academic year

Subject to residency requirements. Other eligibility criteria may apply to those with pre-settled status.

See Gov.UK website for rules for England

See UKCISA website and look at information for each of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. 

✅  Government Student financial support for the 2021/2022 academic year.

Subject to residency requirements. Other eligibility criteria may apply to those with pre-settled status, especially for extra help beyond tuition fee finance.

See Gov.UK website for rules for England

See UKCISA website and look at information for each of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. 

Waiting for decision on late application

Applications submitted on or after 1 July 2021.

✅ Right to NHS primary medical care

Services including GP and A&E treatment see Doctors of the World briefing 

✅ Stay in existing job

If CoA is obtained within 28 days of employer or Home Office telling you to apply.

See Right to Work guidance.

✅ Stay in existing rental

If CoA is obtained within 28 days of landlord or Home Office telling you to apply.

Only applies in England, you do not need to prove your right to rent in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland.

See Right to Rent guidance.

✅  Right to continue receiving existing benefits

If CoA is obtained within 28 days of DWP or Home Office telling you to apply.

See letter from DWP to Revenues and Benefit managers 

✅  Right to NHS secondary care services

NHS Charging Guidance - 9.15

See Doctors of the World briefing 

NHS Charging Guidance - 9.10

✅ Apply to a new job

A Certificate of Application is needed. 

See Right to Work guidance  

Employer must use Employee Checking Service, unless citizen has a digital Certificate of Application with which to generate a share code.

✅  Start a new rental

A Certificate of Application is needed.

Only applies in England, you do not need to prove your right to rent in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland.

See Right to Rent guidance.

Landlord must use Landlord Checking Service, unless citizen has a digital Certificate of Application with which to generate a share code.

✅  Right to apply for new benefits

See DWP guidance 

More information if you have pre-settled status.

✅  Travel into the UK

Though see page 5 of this document for joining family members with applications for family permits or EUSS from abroad.

Also we are awaiting further details of changes to legislation following this Government announcement from 6 August.

See this webpage for more details, including for joining family members, and dual nationals who are British and don't have a British passport

Advisable to take printed certificate of application or email confirming application, and documentation confirming residence in the UK before 31 December 2020.

✅  Higher education 'home fee status' for the 2021/2022 academic year

Though we are awaiting further details of changes to legislation following this Government announcement from 6 August.

This letter from the Home Office to UKCISA gives a bit more detail) 

See Gov.UK website for rules for England

See UKCISA website and look at information for each of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland

Subject to residency requirements. Other eligibility criteria may apply to those with pre-settled status.

✅  Government Student financial support for the 2021/2022 academic year.

See Gov.UK website for rules for England

See UKCISA website and look at information for each of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. 

Subject to residency requirements. Other eligibility criteria may apply to those with pre-settled status, especially for extra help beyond tuition fee finance.

Not yet applied to the EU Settlement Scheme

✅ Right to NHS primary medical care

Services including GP and A&E treatment see Doctors of the World briefing 

✅ ❌ Stay in existing job

Employer is not required to do retrospective checks, but if they do, they can give you 28 days to obtain a CoA.

See Right to Work guidance 

✅ ❌ Stay in existing rental

Landlord is not required to do retrospective checks, but if they do, they can give you 28 days to obtain a CoA).

Only applies in England, you do not need to prove your right to rent in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland.

See Right to Rent guidance.

✅ ❌ Right to continue receiving existing benefits

DWP has said it will write to existing benefit claimants who do not have status, and give them 28 days to obtain a CoA.

See letter from DWP to Revenues and Benefit managers 

❌ Right to NHS secondary care services

NHS Charging Guidance - 9.19

See Doctors of the World briefing 

❌ Apply to a new job

See Right to Work guidance  

❌  Start a new rental

Only applies in England, you do not need to prove your right to rent in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland.

See Right to Rent guidance.

❌   Right to apply for new benefits

See DWP guidance 

More information if you have pre-settled status.

❌  Travel into the UK

Though see page 5 of this document for joining family members with EUSS family permits.

See this webpage for more details, including for joining family members, and dual nationals who are British and don't have a British passport.

❌  Higher education 'home fee status' for the 2021/2022 academic year

See Gov.UK website for rules for England

See UKCISA website and look at information for each of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland

Subject to residency requirements. Other eligibility criteria may apply to those with pre-settled status.

❌ Government Student financial support for the 2021/2022 academic year.

See Gov.UK website for rules for England

See UKCISA website and look at information for each of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. 

Subject to residency requirements. Other eligibility criteria may apply to those with pre-settled status, especially for extra help beyond tuition fee finance.

Who is this information for?

The information on this page applies to EU citizens* and family members who have status, or have applied, or are eligible to apply, for status under the EU Settlement Scheme. It does not apply to those who move to the UK under the new immigration system.

Disclaimer

The information contained in this page is for general guidance and does not constitute legal advice. 

It is a simplified overview and individual situations are often more complex and changes in Government guidance are still being made. Given the changing nature of laws, rules and regulations, and the inherent hazards of electronic communication, there may be delays, omissions or inaccuracies in information contained in this page.

Accordingly, the information on this site is provided with the understanding that the authors and publishers are not herein engaged in rendering legal advice. As such, it should not be used as a substitute for consultation with professional  legal advisers. 

Please seek legal advice if you are affected by any of these situations.

See this letter from the Home Office about applications submitted before the 30 June deadline but still waiting on a Certificate of Application.

* We use EU citizens as a shorthand to also include EU, EEA EFTA and Swiss citizens