Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for what reason the requirement for EU nationals to have Comprehensive Sickness Insurance prior to naturalisation has been (a) introduced and (b) introduced at this time.

We have not changed the requirements for naturalisation: it has always been a requirement for a person to have been in the UK lawfully during the residential qualifying period.

EEA Regulations set out the requirements which individuals need to follow if they wish to reside here lawfully before attaining permanent residence. For example, in the case of students or the self-sufficient – but not those who were working here – the possession of comprehensive sickness insurance has always been a requirement.

Our customer guidance explains this position.

The British Nationality Act allows us to exercise discretion over this requirement in the special circumstances of a case. The nationality application form and guide encourage applicants to give us relevant information to help us do that.