'Must tell my neighbour'

NEWS RELEASE

Monday 14th June 2021

Nottingham Law Centre launches campaign video as deadline for EU Settlement Scheme applications approaches.

“Tell your neighbours, friends and family who are EU citizens – time is running out” is the urgent message of a video released today by Nottingham Law Centre. Made up of clips in different languages, the short piece is being shared across the media to reach Nottingham and Nottinghamshire’s more vulnerable, hard-to-reach EU citizens. The aim is to make sure that everyone eligible to apply to the government’s EU Settlement Scheme knows they need to act fast before the 30 June deadline.

The Nottingham charity’s #EUTellThem cascade campaign is encouraging everyone to share a photo of themselves on social media holding the #EUTellThem sign. Several city and county organisations are lending support to seek-out the most vulnerable and hard-to-reach EU citizens. They include the Nottingham Trussell Trust Foodbanks, NHS Local Medical Committee of GPs, Nottinghamshire Association of Local Councils, Emmanuel House, Advice Nottingham partners, NCVS, Nottingham Financial Resilience Group, Nottingham City Council Community Cohesion Partnership, and several faith communities. The #EUTellThem video has been produced for Nottingham Law Centre by the team at Simply Thrilled.

Sally Denton, a senior lawyer at Nottingham Law Centre says: “We are asking everyone to come onboard the #EUTell them campaign and share the video and their own photos to reach as many people as possible.

“In 16 days’ time some EU citizens will find their rights to benefits, healthcare, employment, housing, and potentially their residency, stripped away. Even if they have lived in the UK for years, paid their taxes and assume life will just go on, they still need to apply to the Home Office.

“Here at Nottingham Law Centre, we can go through the process with them, and our service is free-of-charge for those who can’t afford legal fees. But they need to call now and fix an appointment with one of our staff - before time runs out.”

Nottingham Law Centre is one of a network of national organisations funded to advise and support the most vulnerable individuals and families to comply with the legislation introduced following the UK’s departure from the European Union on 31 December 2020.

The Home Office has increased its promotional messages to ensure everyone who needs to can comply with the law. The nationwide government media campaign, together with this targeted #EUTellThem message, will help the Nottingham Law Centre’s work in contacting the hard-to-reach.

Anyone concerned about how to meet the EU Settlement Scheme requirements by 30 June can call Nottingham Law Centre on 0115 978 7813.

ENDS

Media Contact for interviews and further information:

Louise Third, Integra Communications
07773 288342
[email protected]

Sally Denton, a senior lawyer for Nottingham Law Centre is available for an interview.

Subject to client agreement and media requirement, the Centre can offer someone for comment about the EUSS help received.

Video Click to view and share the short video on YouTube

Images: Supporting the Nottingham Law Centre #EUTellThem campaign

Twitter: @NottinghamLC #EUSS #EUSettlementScheme #EUTellThem #nottingham
Facebook: @NottsLC

Mark Pinks of Ruddington

Editor Notes

About the EUSS

• If an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen and their family members have lived in the UK for many years or have a permanent residence document or EEA Biometric Residence Card (BRC), they still need to apply to the EUSS (or apply for British Citizenship) by 30 June 2021 to continue to live and work in the UK.

• An application must be made for every eligible child within a family. Parents should apply on behalf of their children, even if they have already applied and been granted a status themselves.

• Eligible close family members living overseas can apply to join an EU, EEA or Swiss family member who started living in the UK by 31 December 2020. They can apply to come to the UK at any point. More information on joining family members can be found on GOV.UK.

• Those who have successfully applied to the EUSS can access their pre-settled or settled status online, update their personal details, and get a ‘share code’ to provide their status to others at www.gov.uk/view-prove-immigration-status.

About Nottingham Law Centre

Nottingham Law Centre provides free accessible, accountable and effective specialist services in areas of the law that have the greatest impact on disadvantaged sections of the community. Services are particularly targeted towards disadvantaged and vulnerable sections of society whose access to legal advice is often limited or non-existent.

The Centre is based at 119 Radford Road in Hyson Green, Nottingham.

Nottingham Law Centre is a registered charity and operates on a not-for-profit basis. The Centre is part of the national Law Centres Network which has existed since the early 1970s to defend the legal rights of local people.