The Home Office has today (Monday 25 March) launched a new
nationwide marketing campaign to encourage EU citizens to
apply for the EU Settlement Scheme ahead of its full launch
on Saturday 30 March.
The campaign will be visible at around 6,000 sites across
the UK including in every major city.
Outdoor advertising at key locations this week will be
followed by eye-catching adverts on catch-up TV, radio,
social media and online once the scheme is fully up and
running on Saturday 30 March.
Immigration Minister said:
It is my priority to make sure that EU citizens, who have
built their lives here and who have contributed so much
to our society, continue to feel welcome in the UK.
That is why I am launching this UK wide campaign, which
will include billboards and radio advertising, so that
everyone who is eligible knows how to apply and gets the
status they need.
I want EU citizens to stay and to continue to call the UK
their home and I would encourage all EU citizens to apply
once the scheme goes live.
The scheme, which has been designed in close consultation
with EU citizens, employers and community groups, is free
and simple to use via a brand new online application
process.
It enables EU citizens to protect the rights they currently
have in the UK. Applicants will only need to prove their
identity, demonstrate their UK residence, and declare any
criminal convictions.
Deal or no deal, EU citizens will have until at least 31
December 2020 to apply.
The application process has been thoroughly tested since
August 2018 and so far nearly 200,000 people have received
status under the scheme.
To ensure the scheme is a success, the Home Office has
boosted EU Settlement Scheme staff numbers to over 1,500,
developed an entirely new case working system and created a
new resolution centre to resolve telephone, email and
online queries.
The initial campaign which has been allocated around £3.75
million will run for around a month, with further activity
planned over the next two years to ensure EU citizens
understand what they need to do.
The advertising has been extensively tested with EU
citizens and while the content of the campaign will be in
English, translated guidance in all EEA languages will be
available online.
The campaign complements extensive engagement already
undertaken by the Home Office, including online toolkits
for employers, community organisations and local
authorities to help these groups support EU citizens
directly and prepare them for the application process.
The department has also committed up to £9 million of
funding to supporting voluntary and community sector
organisations who can assist EU citizens who are vulnerable
or at risk in making their application.
A report on the public beta test phase will be published
after its conclusion on 30 March 2019. Plans are currently
being developed for the routine publication of official
statistics on the scheme as it progresses.
