The High Court has rejected a legal bid for an extension to the deadline for applications to the EU settlement scheme.
As part of post-Brexit immigration rules, any EU, EEA or Swiss citizen based in the UK before 31 December 2020, needs to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme to protect several of their key rights including the ability to live and work in the UK, as well as receive benefits and healthcare.
Following the hearing, the deadline for applications remains the 30th of June 2021.
As of the end of December 2020, 4.9 million applications to the scheme had been received, with 4.6 million people granted permission to remain in the UK; 54 per cent of them were granted permanent status, and 43 per cent were given the more temporary pre-settled status.
Campaigners had been calling for an extension to this deadline and legal action mounted by the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants called for the Home Office to extend the deadline to ensure that those who miss the 30 June cut-off date do not become undocumented and liable to detention and removal.
The group claimed that the Home Secretary had failed to collect enough data to ensure adequate action was being taken to encourage vulnerable groups to apply before the deadline.
They believe that some groups of people are thought to be less likely to have applied for EUSS by the June deadline – particularly older EU residents, children, physically or mentally disabled individuals, women in relationships involving domestic abuse.
However, rejecting the request for a judicial review, Justice Nathalie Lieven said it was the nature of all application schemes that there needed to be a deadline, and noted the Home Office’s argument that there would be a period of grace for those people who could show that they had reasonable grounds for making a late application.
A Home Office spokesperson said: “There have been 4.6 million grants of status under the EU Settlement Scheme already, securing people’s rights in UK law.
“The scheme is simple and straightforward, with a wide range of support available online, over the phone and in-person for those who have questions or need help applying.
“We continue to work closely with employers, local authorities and charities to raise awareness of the scheme and we continue to encourage EU citizens to apply.”
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