SWB Brexit Bulletin – 5 April 2019

April 5, 2019

Welcome to this week’s Trust Brexit Bulletin, to keep you up to date with the latest information relating to health care services as we prepare for exiting the EU under a deal or no deal scenario.

Updated information on the EU Settlement Scheme

The Home Secretary, Sajid Javid, and the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Matt Hancock, wrote to all NHS Chief Executives this week outlining the arrangements for the EU settlement scheme that will ensure the rights of EU health and social care staff are protected.

The EU settlement scheme was launched on 30 March to enable EU citizens and their families who have made the UK their home to continue living and working here just as they do now after the UK leaves the EU.

There are three key steps to be completed within the scheme: proof of identity, proof of living in the UK and declaration of any criminal convictions.

Applications are free and can be completed online.

During the test phase of the scheme over 200,000 people have been granted settlement status.

Guidance for applicants is available on www.gov.uk in 25 EU languages and Welsh.

Regardless of whether the UK leaves the EU with or without a deal, the settlement scheme remains in place. EU citizens who are resident in the UK before the UK leaves the EU will continue to be eligible to apply to the EU settlement scheme until at least 31 December 2020.

For EU citizens arriving after the UK’s exit from the EU, transitional immigration arrangements will be put in place. EU citizens wishing to stay in the UK for up to three months will be able to continue to come to the UK to visit, work and study by using a passport or national identity card as now. They will not need to apply for any immigration status. EU citizens arriving in the UK after the UK leaves the EU who wish to stay in the UK for more than three months will need to apply for European Temporary Leave to Remain.

A lot of information and support is available to support people in applying through the settlement scheme and please seek help if you need it or are concerned.

• EU Settlement Scheme guidance
• Access assisted digital support
• ID document scanner locations
• Sign up to receive EU Citizen Email Alerts from the Home Office
• Sign up to receive the Community Bulletin
• European Temporary Leave to Remain Guidance

 If you have any concerns about applying for the settlement scheme speak to your manager, or the HR department.

You can also contact our Senior Responsible Officer for Brexit, Toby Lewis, Chief Executive on tobylewis@nhs.net for any queries.