Demonstrators protest in defense of the rights of Europeans in the U.K. and Britons in the EU on March 23, 2019 in Madrid | Pierre-Philippe Marcou/AFP via Getty Images EU citizens in UK must prove right to free health care after no-deal Brexit People who move to or visit the UK after Brexit could immediately face charges.

LONDON — People from other EU countries living in the U.K. will have to prove their right to free health care with the National Health Service the day after a no-deal Brexit, according to government instructions to hospitals.

The move was immediately branded “discriminatory and outrageous” by the3million group, which campaigns for EU citizens’ rights after Brexit.

A government directive informs NHS organizations they must prepare to be able to verify that EU patients have a right to free care from November 1 if there’s no Brexit deal, The Times reported Wednesday.

People who move to or visit the U.K. after Brexit would immediately face charges, in the absence of a new deal with their country.

“EU citizens living lawfully in the U.K. on the day of Brexit will be able to continue to use the NHS as long as they can demonstrate that they live in the U.K. on a lawful and property-settled basis,” a Department of Health spokesperson told the paper.

Around 1 million of the 3 million EU citizens living in the U.K. have registered for the U.K.’s settled status, for which they have until December 2020 to apply.

People without this documentation will have to prove they are still entitled to free care.

It will be up to hospitals and health care clinics to check for eligibility — that includes determining where a patient was born, and if they have lived in the U.K. long enough to qualify for free NHS care.

Some NHS organizations welcomed the clarity from the government. “We have consistently argued that a no-deal scenario is undesirable, but we recognize that everyone needs to be clear about what to do if this situation arises,” said Layla McCay, director of international relations at the NHS Confederation.

“This latest guidance therefore clarifies the situation and will help NHS staff and providers plan ahead for this eventuality,” she added.

Mike Galsworthy, director of Scientists for EU and NHS Against Brexit, argued however that the move would unnecessarily stretch NHS resources.

The government “has thrown another headache” to hospitals in determining who has access to free care, Galsworthy said. He said a study last year “clearly showed that the expense of trying to prove eligibility [in hospitals] far outweighs the savings,” and the only solution was to have U.K. reciprocal arrangements with other countries.

Conservative MP Alberto Costa described the move as “injurious.”

He also told the Times that, “Such a move will make it harder to agree reciprocal health care arrangements to protect all citizens.” That includes the European Health Insurance Card holiday cover and long-term treatments such as dialysis while traveling.