Brexit FAQs for staff

You will need to apply for ‘settled status’ if you have been resident in the UK for 5 years or more, or ‘pre-settled status’ if you have been in the UK for less than 5 years.

The scheme is now fully open and further information about the scheme is available on the government website.

You will need to apply for settled status if you wish to stay in the UK beyond 31 December 2020 to either live, work or study. Having settled status will mean that you continue to be eligible for:

• Public services, such as healthcare and schools
• Public funds and pensions
• British citizenship (if you meet the requirements and you wish to apply for it in the future).

For more information and how to apply for settled status, please see the government website.

To apply for settled status, you will need to demonstrate that you are:

a)      An EU national

b)      Have been resident in the UK for at least 5 years

c)      Have no significant criminal convictions.

If you have been in the UK for less than 5 years you will be able to apply for ‘pre-settled status’ which will allow you to continue to live and work in the UK. Once you have been in the UK for 5 years, you will then be able to apply for settled status.

For more information about the criteria and the documents that you need to provide, please see the government website.

The application is free of charge.

Yes, the app is now iPhone-compatible (currently IOS 8 although it will be shortly available on IOS 7).

The Home Office have published leaflets, posters and briefing packs to help explain more about the EU Settlement Scheme, how to apply and the definitions of the key terms. These can be found on the UK Government website.

In addition, the Home Office have established the EU Settlement Scheme Resolution Centre to help anyone who is having difficulties completing the application form, or has queries about how to submit their application. The Government have been very clear that their overall aim is to grant rather than refuse and they want to help make the process as easy as possible by providing support for people to complete their applications smoothly.

The team can be contacted by telephone on 0300 123 7379 or by asking a question using their online submissions form.

Yes, you can apply for your dependants at the same time as yourself, however you should apply first because then you will receive an application number which your dependants can use to link to your application.

The Home Office have now translated their materials into 26 other languages, including French, Spanish, Polish and Romanian.

The Scheme is fully open and we encourage you to apply as soon as possible, however as the UK government have agreed a deal, there will be a transition period until 31 December 2020. This means that EU nationals who are in the UK by that date will have until 31 June 2021 to apply under the EU Settlement Scheme.

LSE is continuing to monitor developments and will communicate any updates as and when further information becomes available.

Yes, you will need to apply and you will be able to submit an application now that the scheme is fully open. 

If you also hold a British passport, you will not have to apply for settled status.

Yes, you will still need to apply for settled status in order to continue to have the same rights and receive access to the same services that you do currently. However, the application process is designed to be straightforward and you will not have to pay an application fee.

Yes, you will still need to apply for pre-settled status in order to continue to have the same rights and receive access to the same services that you do currently. However the application process is designed to be straightforward and you will not have to pay an application fee.

As an Irish national you do not need to apply for settled status. However, you will need to apply for it if you either wish to become a British citizen, or you wish to bring non-EEA dependant family members to the UK with you in the future.

If you hold a British passport, you do not need to apply for settled status.

The government has confirmed that the rights of frontier workers will be protected after the UK leaves the EU. Those who are commuting from the EU will be able to continue to work freely during the transition period. However, after the transition period ends on 31 December 2020, they will need to obtain a work permit before they travel in order to come to the UK to work. Further information about how to apply for a work permit is expected to be published later in the year.

Yes, overseas applicants will be able to apply for settled status and you are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.

If you are an EU national you are not required to obtain UK citizenship in order to stay and work in the UK. You will be able to retain all of your existing rights in the UK once you have applied under the EU Settlement Scheme.

However, if you do choose to apply for UK citizenship, you will need to demonstrate that you meet the criteria that are in place at the time of submitting your application. You should also be aware that some countries do not allow you to hold more than one nationality and so it is important to check whether you will be required to relinquish your current nationality after you have obtained UK citizenship.

Important note for German nationals: please be aware that German nationals applying for UK citizenship after the UK has left the EU will be required to relinquish their German nationality.  However, if you obtained UK citizenship before the UK leaves the EU then you will be able to retain your German citizenship.

The Government has committed to underwrite payments of Horizon 2020 awards to cover grant applications after the UK leaves the EU and the UK’s allocation for structural and investment fund projects as part of the EU’s 2020 budget.

More information can be found at at the Gov.UK website.

UK researchers are able to continue to make applications to Horizon 2020 until any withdrawal from the EU is complete.

The extent of UK participation in future EU research programmes will depend on domestic decisions by the UK Government, and negotiations with the EU. The Government has stated its intention to negotiate associated status with the new Horizon Europe programme, and is expected to pursue this goal going forward.

The School continues to work with our partners in the Russell Group to push the UK Government to clarify the position of the UK science community with respect to the EU research programmes. You can find out more on the Russell Group website and in this UKRI leaflet on global collaboration.

If your research funding or EU collaborations have been affected by the vote to leave the EU, please send details of your experience to the Research Development Team – rescon@lse.ac.uk – in the Research and Innovation Division.

There will be no immediate impact on collaborations or projects.

The number of opportunities in the future may partly depend on the decisions by the UK government following negotiations with the EU.

LSE has strong established ties with many universities and organisations both inside and outside the EU.

Colleagues with ongoing projects or who are considering submitting new proposals to Horizon 2020 can contact the LSE Research and Innovation Division via email (rescon@lse.ac.uk) for more information and up-to-date advice.