Brighton & Hove Stand Together on Brexit

Brighton & Hove Stand Together on Brexit

Brighton & Hove’s diverse population includes people from over 150 different countries including an estimated 19,000 EU residents including many 1000’s of LGBTQ+ people coming from other EU countries to make the city their home.

Acknowledging the uncertainty felt by many about the UK’s departure from the EU, leaders from the three main political parties in Brighton & Hove, have signed an open letter pledging to work together on Brexit issues, support EU residents to remain in the city and promote Brighton & Hove as an open and welcoming place.

The UK referendum vote to leave the EU in 2016, means that all EU citizens as well as those from Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, now need to sign up to the EU settlement scheme (EUSS) if they want to continue living in the UK. The application is free and the deadline for applying is 30 June 2021, or 31 December 2020 if the UK leaves the EU without a deal.

Brighton & Hove City Council leader, Nancy Platts, says: “We are proud that Brighton & Hove is a vibrant and diverse city. As a council, we value and encourage this diversity. We also take a leading role to increase equality, inclusion and fairness across the whole of our city.

“Since the referendum result, our EU citizens have had to deal with uncertainty and anxiety and we want them to know that they are, and always will be, welcome here. They contribute to our diversity and help make our city unique. They are our family, our friends, our neighbours and our colleagues, and have been valued members of our communities for decades.

“We want our EU residents to stay in the city and will support them in continuing to make Brighton & Hove their home”.

Figures released by the Home Office in November 2019 show that 9,750 EU nationals in Brighton & Hove applied to the EU Settlement Scheme between 28 August 2018 – 30th September 2019.

The council has set up a free ID document checking service at Brighton Town Hall for anyone without access to a computer or mobile phone or who doesn’t want to send their documents by post.

For information about how you or your business should prepare for Brexit