Category: Society

I have been keeping myself updated with the news around the Settled Status changes coming into effect in less than 100 days, and have successfully received it some time ago. However, I’m trying to find answers to a few concerns I’m having, and possibly correct my misunderstanding of the issues around this badly thought through concept of proving status.

What about…

1. Say a person with Settled Status requires urgent hospital treatment, how do they prove settled status if they’re not in a position to give a share code? for example, seriously injured without partner present, phone running out of juice etc. Do I have to be able to to the government website to get a share code after a car accident?
2. How does anyone requiring proof of Settled Status determine whether the person is an EU citizen settled in the UK, or a British national with a foreign sounding name for example? They can’t always know the nationality of the person, so have to make a judgement on whether a request for status is required — and this can only be based by making a discriminating judgement then? Such as “does the name sound non-british”, skin colour, accent.
3. If so, does that not make the process discriminatory at it’s core, and against the law?
4. How does someone know the difference between a British person with an EU sounding name, and an EU person that convinces the other party a sharecode is not required, without requiring all British people to present a form of identification? Does that mean everyone will need to carry identification of nationality?

I’m happy to be corrected on my understanding, but I’m worried around vulnerable people (British and otherwise) being refused access to essential services and human rights in certain cases; and being discriminated against, structurally, in less than 100 days.

If I get any answers I will update this post.