TWO WEEKS LEFT FOR EU NATIONALS TO PROTECT RIGHTS

I'm reminding people from EU and EEA countries living in the UK that there are only two weeks left to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme before the 30th June deadline.

Set up by the UK Government following the vote to leave the EU, the scheme requires EU citizens currently living in the UK to apply for "settled" or "pre-settled" status by the end of this month. This includes all everyone, children as well as adults, who are citizens of the EU (excepting Ireland), Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland. Those who do not apply could lose the right to live and work in the UK, use the NHS for free, enrol in education, access benefits and rent property.

During the Brexit referendum Boris Johnson promised EU nationals in the UK that their rights would be automatically protected. Instead he has forced through a hard Brexit that drives a bus through his promises. People are being forced to apply to be allowed to carry on living and working here and to be allowed to use services such as education, healthcare and social security that they've been paying for through their taxes.

These changes are opposed by the Scottish Government and by the vast majority of people in Scotland but they are being imposed on us from Westminster.

There are now just two weeks left to register and it's vital we make sure nobody has been left out. Some of our most vulnerable people such as children in care or older people in care homes are entirely reliant on someone else applying on their behalf. I’ve written to local care homes and Fife Council Education and Social Work services and am pleased they are helping to get the message out and make sure no one is missed.

I have asked the UK Government what will happen to people who haven’t registered by the end of June deadline but they have so far refused to answer. It is so important that all EU nationals and their families apply before the cut off to make sure they are not affected. And with just two weeks until applications close there is no time to lose.

Click here to apply online.