Immigration Controls: EU Nationals

(asked on 4th February 2020) - View Source

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the effect on vulnerable people of charging a fee for scanning supporting documents for Settled Status at a single location in Wales.


Answered by
Brandon Lewis Portrait
Brandon Lewis
This question was answered on 11th February 2020

EU citizens make a huge contribution to our economy and society, and we want them to stay. The EU Settlement Scheme enables them to do so and over 3 million people have now made applications, to which more than 2.7 million have been granted status.

The application process for the EU Settlement Scheme is straightforward and user-friendly, and is accessible on any smartphone, tablet or computer using internet browsers.

There are multiple ways to have identity documents checked, including using the EU Exit: ID Document Check app or by posting identity documents to the Home Office. There are also over 100 locations nationwide, provided by local authorities, where applicants have their passport scanned and verified.

The ID document scanning service is provided at the discretion of each local authority. The viability and cost of offering the ID document scanning service in each location is a matter for each local authority. There are currently seven local authorities participating in Wales; Bridgend, Caerphilly, Cardiff, Ceredigion, Conway, Gwynedd and Rhondda Cynon Taf.

The Home Office would encourage as many local authorities as possible to offer this service, and we continue to work with local government bodies across the UK to increase the provision of this service.

Participating local authorities do not receive funding from central Government to provide this service. Charges for using this service, payable directly to the local authority, can be set to cover the cost of providing the service. Some local authorities have elected to provide the service for free to residents, whilst others have elected to set a fee.

The Home Office has a range of structures in place nationally to support the most vulnerable people in making their application to the EU Settlement scheme, including up to £9 million grant funding for 57 voluntary and community organisations. This includes funding allocated to charities in Wales.

The EUSS Grant Scheme was set up as a result of extensive engagement with voluntary and community sector organisations representing different vulnerable groups. We continue to engage with stakeholders to ensure appropriate support is in place for vulnerable applicants.

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