Coronavirus: EU nationals could be forced to work during pandemic as they are denied benefits, lawyers warn

EU citizens with pre-settled status being refused access to universal credit, pushing them to continue working despite advice to stay at home, according to lawyers and campaigners

Immigration lawyers say some of the 1.3 million people who have been granted pre-settled status will be left without any choice but to continue to work during the pandemic (EPA)

Some EU nationals who have been granted the right to remain in the UK after Brexit may feel forced to work during the coronavirus lockdown because they cannot access state benefits, lawyers have warned.

Campaigners warn that EU citizens with pre-settled status – which requires them to reapply for permanent status once they have been in Britain for five years – are being refused access to universal credit, the government’s main welfare benefit, which they say contravenes the UK’s obligations under the withdrawal agreement.

Ministers have encouraged people who have lost their jobs or who have a significantly reduced income due to the Covid-19 outbreak to apply for universal credit. Government guidelines state that while EU nationals with settled status – which grants them permanent settlement – are automatically entitled to claim, those with pre-settled status must prove their right to reside.