Brexit and eYou: information for EU/EEA nationals

In April 2018 the UK Prime Minister apologised unreservedly for the ‘confusion and anxiety’ experienced by the children of first generation Commonwealth immigrants (the Windrush generation) when some of them were reported to have been detained, lost their jobs or denied health care because they hadn’t got the right paperwork to prove they are in the UK legally. The Home Secretary expressed her concern that the Home Office ‘sometimes loses sight’ of individuals.

The Institute for Conflict Research is concerned that many EU/EEA nationals face the same anxiety as they consider the potential impact of Brexit on their future status in Northern Ireland. ICR’s Brexit and eYou project aims to highlight their fears about Brexit’s potential impact on their economic and social rights including their right to continue to live and work in Northern Ireland with their dependents, to access health or education, or to claim their pensions. The project aims to support EU nationals, including Irish/EU workers based in the border regions who work or access services in Northern Ireland, to engage with decision-makers and to build their capacity to advocate for protection of their rights.