MORE than 16,000 EU nationals have applied to continue their lives in Wiltshire after the formal deadline closed at the end of June.
In Wiltshire, 16,070 people successfully applied to the local authority under the EU Settlement scheme, according to Home Office data.
This is 2,370 more than had applied by the end of December 2020. People living in the UK before December 2020 – when the Brexit transition period closed – could apply for EU settlement status.
Leader of Wiltshire Council, Richard Clewer said: “With 6m applications nationally to the EU Settlement Scheme ahead of its formal deadline of June 30, 2021, Wiltshire Council is pleased to see the rights of so many EU citizens protected.
“We are pleased that they will be able to call Wiltshire home in the years to come.
“The government has said it will take a flexible and pragmatic approach to considering people’s reasonable grounds for applying late; and the Department for Work and Pensions and HM Revenue and Customs are now reaching out to people who may be eligible to apply who have not yet done so.
“We would urge anyone yet to apply to do so using the government website and if required to seek support from bodies such as Wiltshire Citizens’ Advice.”
EU citizens who have lived in the UK for at least five years, and meet certain criteria, can receive settled status and remain in the country indefinitely if applied by Wednesday, June 30 2021.
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