Government begins revoking EU citizens’ post-Brexit right to live in the UK
The UK government has begun using travel data to revoke post-Brexit rights to live in the country for EU citizens who no longer continuously reside in the UK.
European citizens living in the UK at the time the country left the European Union became eligible for pre-settled status, providing them with the right to live in the UK. Those living in the country could then later obtain settled status after an appropriate period.
Under the 2020 Brexit withdrawal agreement, however, the UK is able to revoke pre-settled status from those who have not maintained continuous residence in the country.
At the end of 2025, the Home Office estimated there were 1.4 million people who still held pre-settled status.
As of 9 April 2026, the government is beginning this revocation process, using tax and benefit data to determine whether an individual has been resident in the UK. Where this data is insufficient, the government will rely on Home Office travel data.
It said that those who have been outside the UK for the longest will be reviewed first, starting with those who have been outside the UK for the last five years.
According to the Home Office, the revocation of pre-settled status from those outside of the UK is necessary to protect the integrity of the EU Settlement Scheme and public services.
Alongside this process, the Home Office will also begin to increase the number of pre-settled status holders who are automatically granted settled status.
If an EU citizen has been paying tax or receiving benefits in the UK for 30 months out of the last 60, they may be automatically granted settled status.
Any decision made by the Home Office to revoke a person’s pre-settled status will be subject to a right of appeal, and mitigating factors such as the circumstances around extended absences from the UK, or a person’s age and health.
