Eight years ago, the Windrush Scandal shocked the nation when it uncovered how changes in UK legislation had stripped those of the Windrush Generation of their citizen rights.
Now, in 2024, the Welsh Government is exploring the challenges that EU citizens face living in post-Brexit Wales, after concerns around the risk of a ‘second Windrush’.
It’s been four years since the UK left the EU yet some EU citizens living in Wales continue to face challenges posed by Brexit.
Organisations such as charity Settled pointing to issues posed by the UK government’s EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS).
Concerns have been raised surrounding the rights of the EU citizens and the risk of another ‘Windrush’ type event. The Welsh Government appear to be taking the matter seriously, the subject having been debated in the Senedd just last month.
Settled has been working closely with the Welsh authorities, our partners and other organisations interested in helping EU citizens living in the UK whose rights were affected by Brexit”.
So, what is the EU Settlement Scheme?
In 2019 the UK government created the EU Settlement Scheme, for EU citizens to apply for to stay in the UK post-Brexit. Despite the application deadline for EUSS having passed in June 2021, the government continues to receive late applications to this day.
If an application is successful, the individual may be granted either a permanent ‘settled’ or temporary ‘pre-settled’ status. The latter being for those who cannot prove that they’ve already lived here for five years.
The difference between the two groups is significant. Those with temporary status may be refused access to benefits and prevented from being joined by family members.
Recent figures suggest that of the 8.1 million applications made to the EUSS, 124,642 of those have come from Wales.
Why has it been compared to the Windrush?
A lack of settled status can mean a loss of the right to work, housing, education, and access to benefits. If an EU citizen fails to obtain a settled status they could even be subjected to deportation, mirroring the experiences of the Windrush.
The Windrush Generation had been faced with the challenge of proving their residency and providing documentation. With the EUSS the burden of proof is similarly falling to the EU citizens.
Why is the prospect of a ‘second Windrush’ so distressing?
The 2018 Windrush Scandal uncovered how members of the Windrush Generation had been victimised by legislation intended to make a hostile environment for illegal immigrants.
Some were denied their rights, detained, and even deported to countries that they hardly remembered. It caused a great deal of hardship and heartache to those affected. Even though they had come and settled in the UK legally as members of the commonwealth.
As the UK government continue to try and ‘right the wrongs’ highlighted by the Windrush Scandal, the prospect of a ‘second Windrush’ is deeply concerning.