Dear Brother / Sister
RESIDENCY AND RIGHTS – UK NATIONALS/EU CITIZENS
Members will recall that the union wrote to the Prime Minister on 26 February in respect of both EU/EEA citizens resident in the UK and UK nationals living in the UK/EEA. The letter was circulated via head office circular 2018HOC0140AD.
We have now received a reply to that letter from the Home Secretary. We wrote seeking assurances for both EU/EEA citizens resident in the UK and UK residents living in the UK/EEA. Though he mentions UK nationals, the Home Secretary’s letter primarily focuses on EU citizens living in the UK.
The FBU had written to the Prime Minister as the UK’s strategic policy lead on matters arising from Brexit talks on behalf of FBU members across the whole of the UK. Whilst the advice on the UK government website applies to all UK nationals and to EU citizens wherever they live in the UK, it is somewhat disappointing that the reply was not provided by Downing Street but instead by the Home Secretary who has responsibility for matters affecting firefighters and ex-firefighters in England only.
The Home Secretary indicates that information is available on the UK government website. That information has been copied up and is provided as an attachment to this circular along with other relevant documentation. The guidance is that which is available at the time of writing this circular. Members should be aware that the position may change. The FBU cannot be sure that it will be kept abreast of any changes and our ability to affect the position with this government is less than negligible, so affected members are urged to monitor the situation using the resources below.
Accordingly, members who are EU citizens are advised to sign up to receive alerts on updates by using the following web-link:
https://gov.smartwebportal.co.uk/homeoffice/public/webform.asp?id=67&id2=627DF7
Members who are UK nationals living in the EU outside of the UK are advised to sign up to receive alerts on updates by using the following web-link:
https://www.gov.uk/email-signup/?topic=/government/brexit
Members will note that signing up to these email alerts will also attract general updates in relation to the Brexit negotiations.
The UK government has provided employers with an employers’ toolkit for employers to keep affected employees fully informed. FBU brigade officials will be taking the necessary steps to ensure that fire and rescue services provide the necessary advice and information to members.
Best wishes.
Yours in unity.
ANDY DARK
Assistant General Secretary
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