The AIRE Centre is partnering with Centrepoint, the UK’s leading youth homelessness charity, to help EU nationals living and working in the UK, and their families, achieve EU residency status.

Both charities have teamed up to provide free training for local authorities and frontline staff who support vulnerable people. The partnership has also produced an online tool to explain eligibility and a referral pathway offering free advice and support for vulnerable EEA migrants and family members.

EU, EEA or Swiss citizens, who are resident in the UK on 31st December 2020, must apply to the EU Settlement Scheme in order to continue to have the right to live and work in the UK beyond 30th June 2021. Those who fail to apply, risk living unlawfully in the UK and being excluded from work, eligibility for benefits, renting accommodation, and being able to access the NHS and other support
services.

Matthew Evans, Director of the AIRE Centre, said:
"Since the launch of the EU Settlement Scheme we have provided end-to-end assistance to support hundreds of EU nationals and their family members to apply to the scheme, as well as developing innovative ways of reaching out to hundreds of other applicants, for example through the delivery of trainings, the publication of information sheets and the development of a tree tool and a settlement app to help people understand their eligibility for the scheme.

In partnership with Centrepoint, we will continue to accept referrals to provide written advice and telephone / video appointments to support individuals with complex applications to the EUSS, including victims of abuse and trafficking, homeless people, those in atypical living situations, children in care and care leavers. We can also provide training for organisations and local authorities supporting EU nationals and their family members with applications to the scheme."

Centrepoint runs hostels across the UK supporting homeless young people into a job and a home. Support for EU nationals will be available in Centrepoint hostels and the other services the charity provides.

The current deadline for applications is 30th June 2021 and Centrepoint and The AIRE Centre encourage EU nationals to seek the support they require and check their eligibility at airecentre.org.

To make a referral to the AIRE Centre for advice and support with an application to the EU Settlement Scheme, please complete this referral form with as much detail as you can and send a completed copy to [email protected].