Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the statutory parenting duties and responsibilities the Government has in respect of looked after children and care leavers and the vulnerabilities and challenges they may face, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that (a) looked after children and (b) legally recognised care leavers (i) have completed applications to the EU Settlement Scheme and (ii) are not affected by (A) late and (B) missed applications.

The Home Office is committed to continuing to engage with local authorities as they undertake their responsibilities to ensure all eligible looked after children and care leavers are supported to make an application to the EUSS. The Home Office will ensure caseworkers liaise with and support applicants to get the status they deserve.

The Home Office remains focused on ensuring all eligible children in care apply in time. It’s recognised however, this vulnerable cohort can change over time, with new children coming into care. We are committed to working with Local Authorities to ensure this work continues after the deadline.

In line with the Citizens’ Rights Agreement, there remains scope, indefinitely, for a person eligible for status under the EUSS to make a late application to the scheme where there are reasonable grounds for their failure to meet the deadline applicable to them.

Where a Local Authority has failed by the relevant deadline to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme on behalf of a child under the age of 18, this would constitute reasonable grounds for the child – including where they are now an adult – to make a late application to the scheme when they become aware of this, for example when they first need to demonstrate their right to work in the UK.