Why so many EU citizens aren’t applying to stay in Britain

More than a million European nationals are yet to apply for settled status but, writes May Bulman, it is not quite as simple as filling out a form

EU and Union Jack flags fly outside the Houses of Parliament in October (AFP)

How often does the government tell millions of people to do something and they all actually do it? Probably never, is the answer. Take voting in general elections – the turnout hasn’t exceeded 70 per cent since the 1990s. Yet when it comes to ordering EU nationals living and working in this country to apply to a new and unfamiliar settlement scheme, ministers seem to anticipate no problem, boasting about how “simple and straightforward” the process is.

But however easy they make it to apply under the Home Office’s EU settlement scheme – which, incidentally, is not always easy – not everyone will. Research published by the Aire Centre on Wednesday proves this, showing that more than a million EU nationals and their family members – that’s around one in three – are yet to register.

There are several reasons for this. The Independent has reported on concerns that many harder-to-reach people, such as the elderly, children in care and those who are being exploited, will inevitably slip through the net because the government’s communications about the scheme will not reach them, or they simply will not have the ability to apply on their own.

We have also reported how many people have applied but are stuck in a backlog, which is currently 362,000-strong, of applications still being processed by the Home Office – despite the department stating that the process should take three days. Many spouses of EU nationals – who tend to be the group most affected by delays – have been waiting months, in some cases leading to them being turned away by employers and landlords because their previous visas have expired leaving them with no formal documentation to prove their status.

And then there are those who are simply putting off filling in their settlement forms. Some feel bitter about the whole thing, unhappy about Brexit and unwilling to cooperate with the process. Others complain of a lack of guidance on how to do it, suggesting they are fearful of making a mistake and being rejected, placing their entire livelihoods in the UK at risk. Some may even be feeling compelled to return to their home countries – with the Polish ambassador going so far as to encourage Poles – the largest EU group living in Britain – to return home.

Whatever their different reasons for not staying in the UK, if EU citizens fail to apply on time – or indeed choose to head back to their homeland – it will create a huge problem for the UK, as industries reliant on their contribution are left short.