The UK has left the European Union

Brexit means there will be a number of changes that will affect individuals and businesses.

Advice and Guidance for EU Citizens Living in the UK

Are you an EU citizen living in Scotland? Scotland is your home and support is available to help you access your digital profile. Visit mygov.scot/help-eu-citizens for support.

Wednesday, 30 June 2021, was the deadline for applications to the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) for EU, EEA and Swiss citizens and their family members, who were resident in the UK by 31 December 2020.

From Thursday 1 July 2021, EU, EEA and Swiss citizens and their family members are now required to obtain a valid UK immigration status to be in the UK, either through the EUSS, if they were resident in the UK by 31 December 2020 or are a joining family member, or through a valid visa.

EU, EEA and Swiss citizens may be asked to show their digital status to prove their right to work. Other departments, such as HMRC, DWP and the NHS, will have automatic access to their status to check a person’s eligibility for free healthcare, benefits and access to public funds.

Pending applications

Anyone who made an application by the 30 June 2021 deadline will have their existing rights protected, pending the outcome of their application. Applicants are issued with a Certificate of Application, which can be relied on to evidence their rights.

Applying for children

EU, EEA or Swiss citizens who were resident in the UK by 31 December 2020 must apply to the EUSS for their children who are not British citizens.

If they are expecting to have a child (or have given birth since 1 April 2021), then the child will also need to have an application made on their behalf to the EUSS within three months of their date of birth. However, if either of the child’s parents had settled status under the EUSS (or another form of indefinite leave to enter or remain) before the child was born, then they don’t need to make an application on their behalf, as the child will be a British citizen.

Applications made after 30 June 2021 deadline

In line with the Citizens’ Rights Agreements, the UK Government has said there remains scope for a person eligible for status under the EUSS to make a late application to the scheme where there are reasonable grounds for their having missed the deadline.

It has published non-exhaustive guidance on reasonable grounds for missing the deadline on GOV.UK. Where a person did not apply before the deadline, they must make a valid application online or on the relevant paper application form – and provide information with the application setting out their grounds for applying late.

The Home Office will continue to look to grant status, rather than for reasons to refuse. It has said that a flexible and pragmatic approach will be taken in considering whether there are reasonable grounds for the person’s failure to apply by the deadline.

If someone without status is encountered who may be eligible for it, they will be provided with a written notice giving them an opportunity to apply to the scheme, setting out their reasonable grounds for missing the deadline, normally within 28 days, and signposted to the support available.

Help is still available

The Home Office will continue to ensure that the EUSS is accessible and supports vulnerable applicants with flexibility and sensitivity. Protecting the rights of vulnerable citizens is a fundamental principle of the EUSS.

For those who have not applied to the EU Settlement Scheme already, support will remain in place until 30 September to help with late applications. Further information is available from the MyGov.Scot website or an applicant can seek help via the EU Citizens' Support Service run by Citizens Advice Scotland on 0800 916 9847.

In Dundee, help is also available via Council Advice Services on 01382 431188 (option 2) or by emailing welfare.rights@dundeecity.gov.uk.

Brooksbank Money Advice Team also provide support for late applications. They can be contacted on 01382 432450.

We would encourage anybody who has not already applied but who wishes to do so to make an application as soon as possible.

Planning to travel

EU, EEA and Swiss citizens with an EUSS status should register documents you plan to travel on via the View and Prove service. This will make re-entering the United Kingdom quicker. Find out more.

Help from the Citizens Rights Project

If you now have settled or pre-settled status, the Citizens Rights Project has produced some useful resources explaining the process of proving your status and updating a new ID document on the digital profile. Posters, leaflets, and video presentations are available in multiple European languages. You can download them for free in this link.

If you are eligible to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme but still haven’t applied for settled or pre-settled status you can still do so, even after the deadline of 30th June 2021. However, late applications are discretionary, so applicants must explain and prove why they were unable to apply before the deadline. Free support with late applications is still available from the Citizens Rights Project. Residents in Scotland who need help with their late EUSS application can contact us.

The Home Office has produced the following 'At a Glance' leaflets:

Converting your pre-settled status to settled status

Over 4,000 EU citizens living in Dundee were originally given ‘pre-settled’ status under the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) because they did not have the five years of continuous residency required to obtain full settled status. Until now, they were expected to apply themselves to convert that pre-settled status to full settled status once eligible.

However, on 17 July new regulations were laid before Parliament which mean that, from September 2023, people who have pre-settled status will automatically have their status extended by 2 years before it expires if they have not obtained settled status. The process will be automated by the Home Office and reflected in the person’s digital status. They will be notified of the extension directly. This will ensure that nobody loses their immigration status if they do not apply to switch from pre-settled to settled status.

The Home Office also intends to take steps to automatically convert as many eligible pre-settled status holders as possible to settled status once they are eligible for it, without them needing to make an application. During 2024, automated checks of pre-settled status will establish their ongoing continuous residence in the UK. Safeguards will be in place to ensure that settled status is not wrongly granted.

There is still a requirement of continuous residency. This requires a citizen to be in the UK for at least six months in each twelve-month period over the period of continuous residency, although a citizen can be outside for more than six months for one of the following reasons:

one period of up to 12 months for an important reason - for example, childbirth, serious illness, study, vocational training, an overseas work posting or because of COVID-19
compulsory military service of any length
time spent abroad as a Crown servant, or as the family member of a Crown servant
time spent abroad in the armed forces, or as the family member of someone in the armed forces
working in the UK marine area

It is advised that EU citizens intending to be out of the UK for more than six months contact the EU Settlement Resolution Centre to check that the reason for travelling won’t affect their continuous residency and eligibility for full settled status.
Support and advice is available from:

EU Settlement Resolution Centre
Call 0300 123 7379 Mon to Fri from 8am to 8pm or weekends from 9.30am to 4.30pm

Citizens Advice Bureau
(EU Citizens Support helpline)
Call 0800 916 9847 Mon to Fri from 9am to 5pm

Citizens Rights Project (multilingual)
Text message or WhatsApp (in English or other EU language)
Phone in English, Polish* or Spanish**
Their contact numbers are 07803192173* or 07518926137**
Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm
Email (in English or other EU language) – euss@feniks.org.uk / info@citizensrightsproject.org

Dundee City Council
(Advice Services)
Call 01382 41188 (Option 2) Mon to Fri 9.30am to 4.30am
Email: welfare.rights@dundeecity.gov.uk

Advice & Guidance for UK Citizens Living in the EU

If you are a UK citizen living in the EU it is important that you understand your rights now the UK is no longer a member of the EU. Guidance on residency, healthcare, working, etc for UK nationals who moved to European countries before 1 January 2021 can be found at : https://www.gov.uk/guidance/living-in-europe

It is important to fully understand implications of living in each individual EU member country, but guides to living in each can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/uk-nationals-living-eu

Advice and Guidance for Businesses

Help from Scotland's Enterprise and Skills Agencies

Scotland's enterprise and skills agencies are focused on helping businesses to operate after Brexit and maximise growth opportunities in international markets.

Please visit Exports and International markets for international trade support services on the Find Business Support website

In addition to the digital content on Exports and International markets, Scottish companies can contact Scottish Enterprise/SDI for international trade support at email: international@scotent.co.uk or tel: 0300 013 3385.

Help from the UK Government

If businesses have any queries about exporting goods to the EU, they should go to gov.uk/transition or use the following helpline numbers:

HMRC Customs & International Trade Helpline - 0300 322 9434. Opening hours here.
HMRC VAT / Imports and Exports General Enquiries - 0300 200 3700. Opening hours here.
Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA)
- Vehicle operator licensing enquiries - 0300 123 9000. Opening hours here.
- International Road Haulage Permits - 0330 678 1117. Opening hours here.
Animal, Plant and Health Agency (APHA) - 0300 1000 313. Further details here.

Help from Dundee & Angus Chamber of Commerce

The Dundee & Angus Chamber of Commerce International Trade Service is open to all businesses in the area providing supporting, guidance and documentation. Our service include Customs Declarations, Export Documentation, Transit Documentation, International Trade Missions and much more.

For further information visit https://www.dundeeandanguschamber.co.uk/international

Customs Declaration Training Course

Dundee & Angus Chamber of Commerce recently launched a certified online Customs Declarations Training course to help local businesses prepare for the changes to customs processes and procedures that will come into play on 1 Jan 2021.

The course is run in conjunction with the British Chambers of Commerce and can be fully funded through HMRC grant funding.

Full information on the course is available on the Chamber’s website.

Advice and Guidance for Students

The 20,000 students who attend Dundee's two universities and further education college make up around one in seven of the population - the highest figure in Scotland. They contribute greatly to the city, culturally and economically.

We are aware that significant numbers of those students - and staff - are from non-UK EU countries, and are working closely with our colleagues in Further and Higher education regarding Brexit and the impacts it may have on them.

Eligible students from the EU, EEA and Switzerland who choose to start studying in the 2020-21 academic year will get free tuition for the duration of their course.

Students are advised to keep up to date by visiting their individual university/college websites to find news and information related to the UK’s participation in the Erasmus+ programme.

How is Dundee City Council dealing with Brexit?

The Council has established a Brexit Advisory Team to advise members on how to mitigate the risks associated with Brexit.

The Council’s spokesperson on Europe also chaired a Cross Party Group of councillors, MSPs and MPs to monitor developments and lobby to protect the city’s interests.

Issues for Dundee include:

The impact on EU citizens living and working in the city.
The ending of EU funding for projects and uncertainty about replacement funding.
Implications for the workforce of the Council and other major employer.
Impact on the local economy, including on businesses and academic institutions.

A series of reports on the impact of Brexit have been submitted to the Council’s Policy and Resources Committee over recent years. The latest reports are:

Brexit Update January 2022 (404KB PDF)
Brexit Update June 2022 (376KB PDF)

For previous reports, please visit the Council’s Committee reports portal and search for Brexit.

The UK has left the European Union

Related Links

Dundee City Council