EU citizens now have to apply to stay in the UK (Picture: Getty)

More than three million EU citizens have applied to live and work in the UK after Brexit, according to government figures.

Almost a million applications were made by people living in London, the Home Office said.

The Settlement Scheme has been described as the ‘biggest of its kind in history’ and caseworkers have been processing 20,000 applications a day.

Polish, Romanian and Italian nationals have submitted the highest number of applications, according to the latest figures.


Most of the applications (92%) have been from people already living in England, with 5% from Scotland and 2% each in Northern Ireland and Wales.

EU citizens plus those from the European Economic Area (EEA) countries of Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway as well as Switzerland have to register to continue living and working in the UK after June 30 2021.



Once granted status, applicants can use the NHS, study and access public funds and benefits, as well as travel in and out of the country.

But first they must prove their identity, show they live in the UK and declare any criminal convictions.

Top 10 London local authorities by number of EU applications Newham – 68,510 Brent – 63,400 Ealing – 54,150 Haringey – 45,810 Barnet – 42,990 Hounslow – 41,970 Tower Hamlets – 40,800 Waltham Forest – 39,380 Lambeth – 39,040 Enfield – 37,030

Settled status is usually granted if an applicant has lived in the UK for five continuous years.

If not, a person can get pre-settled status but must have started to live in the UK by the end of the transition period.

The Home Office announced today that more than three million people have applied to the scheme and more than 2.7million have been granted status.

Of those, 58% were granted settled status while 41% were given pre-settled status.

The latter group will have to reapply once they have been in the UK for five years.

Top 10 local authorities outside London by number of EU applications Birmingham – 57,340 Leicester – 45,940 Manchester – 41,430 Edinburgh – 32,930 Leeds, Yorkshire and The Humber – 28,830 Bristol – 25,990 Peterborough – 25,820 Northampton – 25,350 Coventry – 23,420 Glasgow – 23,070

The Government is spending around £4 million on advertising the scheme after a radio advert was banned for failing to make clear that further documentation as well as a passport or ID card would be needed to apply.

Home Secretary Priti Patel said: ‘I’m delighted that there have already been more than 3 million applications to the hugely successful EU Settlement Scheme.

‘It’s the biggest scheme of its kind in British history and means that EU citizens can evidence their rights for decades to come.

‘It’s now time for EU countries to adopt a similar scheme.’