1.8 million EU citizens’ rights in the UK already secured, right?

On the 1st of February Labour MP Gisela Stuart, German born and one of the strongest Brexit supporters, stood in the House of Commons stating that the rights of 1.8 million of the estimated three million EU citizens in the UK are already secured. A message, trivialising the plight of the three million EU citizens, often repeated by Brexit supporters on the government and opposition benches.

This claim is not true though. Current refusal rates for permanent residence cards, the piece of paper confirming the already acquired residence rights, stands at 29%. Current estimation is that between 600 and 800 thousand of the 1.8 million will be turned down despite being in the country for five or more years. Many have even chosen not to apply at all as they know that they will not be able to provide the burden of proof.

Reasons for refusal could include:

• Part of the five years being student
• Work placement outside the UK longer than 450 days
• Sabbatical taken to travel the world
• Being a stay at home parent
• Unable to work due to disability
• Periods of unemployment longer than three months
• Living in shared accommodation and thus unable to provide rental agreement or utility bills

This list is by no means exhaustive. It is a list of situations though shared by British and EU citizens alike. The big difference is that for EU citizens these normal life moments could mean being cut off the British social system, the NHS and potentially have implications on future pension entitlements post Brexit.

The three million EU citizens have come here in good faith. They have built their lives. They have become family, friends and colleagues. Currently they are protected by EU law but the government's decision to make them Bargaining Chips for the EU negotiations has unsettled the community greatly. Many live in anxiety worried how the negotiation outcome will affect their family and employment post Brexit.

The government had the opportunity to relieve the anxieties of the EU citizens but, despite pleas from both sides of the Brexit debate, has decided to prolong the period of uncertainty until the Great Repeal Bill. 

The future of the three million, despite reassuring words for the British electorate from politicians like Gisela Stuart, is not secured and now fully in the hands of the negotiation skills of Theresa May and David Davis. Very uncertain and worrying times ahead indeed.