Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 5 March 2020 to Question 23401 which states that confirmation of settled or pre-settled status is not required to access NHS care, for what reason get hospital treatment is listed as a reason on the online EU settled status scheme form for proving one’s status to a requesting organisation/individual from 1 January 2021 onwards.

It is correct European Economic Area and Swiss citizens do not require Home Office confirmation of settled or pre-settled status granted under the EU Settlement Scheme to access National Health Service care.

Individuals may wish to rely on the fact they have been granted status under the Scheme as part of demonstrating their ordinary residence in the UK. The online View and Prove service therefore offers this as an option, should users wish to share their status for this purpose. It is entirely optional.

EEA and Swiss citizens continue to be able to use their passport or national identity card to evidence their right to access services and this will not change until 30 June 2021.

From 2021, when the new immigration system is introduced, EEA or Swiss patients will be required to demonstrate they are ordinarily resident in the UK, as is already presently the case for non-EEA nationals who are not the family member of an EEA citizen. They can do this by relying on the status they have been granted under the Scheme.

EEA nationals who do not have protected rights will be bound by the new global immigration system.