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Ceud mìle fàilte
A hundred thousand welcomes – and more!
Amidst the continued uncertainty I would like to assure you my message has not changed: Scotland values you for the contribution you make to our society, our culture and our economy. Whether you have lived here for months or many years, Scotland is your home, you are welcome here, and we want you to stay.
To support you through this time I launched the Scottish Government’s ‘Stay in Scotland’ campaign.
It provides practical advice and assistance including information and guidance on the EU Settlement Scheme application process, as well as information on where you can find more support with your application. But it’s not just about supporting you to make an application to stay here; it’s also about making sure that you are aware of your rights. We cannot allow a situation to arise where people are denied access to services to which they are entitled to.
Nicola Sturgeon, First Minister, October 2019 (Letter to EU citizens living in Scotland)
EU Citizens in Scotland
In 2020, according to National Records, 231,000 EU27 Citizens lived in Scotland, – slightly down on 2019 but still some 4% of the total population of 5.4 million and 56% of the non-British population. The Scottish Government says (as of June 3 2021) 240,000 have been given the right to remain (settled or pre-settled status), with 250,040 out of 263,220 applications concluded: 141,220 have been granted settled status and 102,000 pre-settled status
The Scottish Government had written three letters to EU27 citizens living and working here extending a warm welcome and encouraging them to seek settled/pre-settled status. On a UK basis for that status – required if EU27 citizens wished to continue to live and work here after 30 June 2021 – 3.5m EU nationals lived here but 6m applications had been submitted by the deadline, with 5.4m concluded: 2.8m given settled status and 2.3m pre-settled status.
In mid-August it was reported that 58,000 had applied after the deadline while 144,120 applications were concluded in July, according to the Home Office which has (reluctantly and after considerable pressure) extended the deadline.
EU nationals are vital for the Scottish economy, both rural and urban, performing roles Scots either do not wish to perform or are incapable of doing so. They account for a fifth of Scottish university research and teaching staff, for instance. What’s more, they contribute more in taxes and NICs than they take out of public spending.
They help solve Scotland’s chronic demographic problem of an ageing society: if they all left our population would shrink again back towards 5m as immigrants as a whole are the sole source of population growth, economists say. Scottish Ministers therefore remain strong proponents of freedom of movement and, indeed, seek to acquire powers as a devolved administration to adopt and pursue a very different immigration policy – one that welcomes migrants.
EU Citizens Rights after Brexit
Many organisations offer help and advice, online, on the phone, and in various languages – see below for an overview, but we may have missed some. Do you work for an organisation helping EU citizens that is not listed here? Please get in touch with us at info@euromovescotland.org.uk.
Advice and Help for EU27 Citizens in Scotland
Citizens Advice Scotland provides information and advice about immigration and about the rights of EU27 citizens living in Scotland after Brexit.
Free legal advice and practical expertise available:
EU Citizens Support Service helpline: 0800 916 9847. Monday – Friday, 9am – 5pm.
Settled is a charity helping EU citizens in the UK with questions about the Settled Status Scheme. They provide information in many different languages, and they aim to guide, inform and assist EU citizens who are at risk of being left behind.
They also provide some specific information about the Settled Status Scheme during the COVID-19 crisis (and public health information in different languages).
Citizens Rights Project provides information, support and advice for EU citizens in Scotland. During the COVID-19 crisis, they are holding online information sessions (in English and in several other European languages) on the EU Settlement Scheme: click here for their list of events.
They also offer one-to-one advice sessions in various languages – contact them at info@citizensrightsproject.org
You can also watch previous sessions online.
The 3 million are a grassroots organisation aiming to give a voice to EU citizens in the UK, and to protect their rights. They provide information about the Settled Status Scheme and related topics such as travelling.
#DropTheLetter
Information: https://www.the3million.org.uk/drop-the-letter
That page contains a link to the template letter, which you can also see here.
#DeniedMyBackup
Report form: https://t3m-digitalstatus.paperform.co/
Fundraiser for legal case: https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/deniedmybackup-discriminatory-eu-citizens-brexit/
#OurHomeOurVote
Campaign info: see latest newsletter here
Join the online campaign launch here
Register to vote at: https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote
More information on the Young Europeans: https://www.the3million.org.uk/young-europeans
the3million Report to IMA – What to expect in 2021
https://www.the3million.org.uk/ima-report
or if you prefer to link straight through to the report itself, you can use
http://www.t3m.org.uk/IMA_report
CREENUK – Consejo de residentes españoles en el norte de reino unido: website for Spanish citizens living in the North of the UK, including information on Brexit and on Covid-19
Regional groups
Edinburgh and Lothians
Feniks is a charity supporting and aiming at improving the wellbeing of the Central Eastern European Community in Edinburgh.
They provide support and advice on the Settled Status Scheme for vulnerable EU27 citizens in the Lothians.
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Fife
The Fife Migrants Forum, based in Kirkcaldy, can provide practical support for EU citizens, including advice on the Settled Status Scheme.
Citizens Advice & Rights Fife has appointed an EU Settlement Support Service Worker, Mrs Nina Luznar (eucitizens@carfonline.org.uk).
Clients can get advice from our website https://www.cas.org.uk/brexit or by phoning the EU Citizens Support service national helpline on 0800 916 9847. Helpline is open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. Face to face advice in bureau has currently been suspended due to Covid-19 outbreak and will resume as soon as possible.
Perth & Kinross
Perth & Kinross Council have set up a web page with useful information for EU citizens in their area, including a short film, downloads in various languages, and links to other organisations which can provide advice for EU citizens.
Do you work for an organisation helping EU citizens which is not listed here? Please get in touch with us at info@euromovescotland.org.uk.
