700 EU citizens in Woking stuck in limbo as ‘Settled Status’ backlog soars

The Lib Dems are calling on the Government to grant EU citizens the automatic right to stay in the UK with the physical proof they need, as new Home Office figures reveal that 700 people in Woking are still waiting for a decision on their 'Settled Status' application.

The latest EU Settlement Scheme statistics show that, as of the end of December, there have been 10,560 applications from people living in Woking, but only 9,860 of these have been concluded.

The figures also reveal that 4,290 people in Woking have only been granted temporary 'Pre-Settled Status'. That means a total of 4,990 Woking applicants have still not been given the permanent right to stay.

Responding to the figures, Will Forster, Lib Dem Spokesperson for Woking, said:

"Far too many EU nationals in Woking are still living under a cloud of uncertainty. They must have the right to stay."

"EU citizens are an integral part of our Woking communities. They are our friends and family, and Lib Dems will always stand up for them."

"We will keep fighting to secure their automatic right to stay, with the physical proof they need."

Lib Dem Home Affairs Spokesperson, Alistair Carmichael, added:

"Boris Johnson and the Conservatives promised to guarantee automatically the rights of EU nationals to stay, but they have broken that promise, as they have with so many others."

"The enormous backlog shows that the Government's botched scheme is anything but automatic. It puts thousands of EU citizens at risk of becoming the victims of a new Windrush-style Scandal."