The survey below comprises 20 questions which will help us compare our findings provided by the voluntary and community sector in 2024 with those in 2019, focusing specifically on those subject to a digitised immigration system, to explore what kind of support, capacity and infrastructure is in place, and where the gaps in provision may exist.
Following the vote to leave the European Union in 2016, a new immigration system, the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS), was introduced to which EU citizens and their family members living in the UK by 31 December 2020 were required to apply for immigration status. The application process takes place online, and the status granted is a digital one – the first of its kind in the UK.
Whilst nearly 6 million people have been granted a status since it was introduced, the digital immigration status and the application process are particularly challenging for vulnerable individuals such as the elderly, the homeless and rough sleepers, as well as those who do not have a consistent footprint with government institutions from employment, or receipt of benefits such as stay at home parents or carers.
For EU citizens to exert their rights and secure entitlements whilst living in the UK they need to access support and advice at different points in the application process, as well as in managing their status to prove their rights in daily life. Accredited legal advice support services are limited in number, capacity and geographical spread whilst the voluntary and community sector is often the first place people will go to for help for a whole range of issues and concerns.
In 2019, New Europeans UK surveyed voluntary and community organisations across the UK to gain a picture of their knowledge and preparedness for the potential increase in demand for support from EU citizens as the EUSS was introduced. Read our 2019 report here.
Whilst many EU citizens experience significant and life-changing issues and challenges in applying for and using a digital status to prove their rights, the government plans to digitise all migration statuses from 2025. We now want to return to the voluntary and community sector to find out the current or potential role it plays in providing support and services for those with a digital immigration status, including EU communities and the other migrant groups in the near future.
EXTENDED DEADLINE: Please submit your responses by 10th May 2024