Benefits for EU citizens

Apply for EU settlement scheme to continue claiming Housing Benefit and Council Tax

From 1 January 2021 the rights of EU nationals to continue to reside in the UK & claim Housing Benefit and/or Council Tax Reduction has changed.  

The EU settlement scheme 

All EU nationals who were residents in the UK before 1 January 2021 are required to apply to the EU settlement scheme by 30 June 2021. This includes those who have permanent residency or an EEA Biometric Card.

If you do not apply for settled status before 30 June 2021, your Housing Benefit and/or Council Tax Reduction may stop.

Application support

If you require support to complete your application for settled status, Citizens Advice Redbridge can help, you can call them on 020 8514 9540.

We also have additional support options on our Brexit toolkit page.

Completed application

Once you have applied for Settled Status, please provide us with a copy of the letter that confirms your application has been received.

When your application has been decided, you must provide us with a ‘Share Code’. The decision letter is not proof of status.

To obtain a ‘share code’ please visit the Government website

To access your account, you will need:

• details (serial number, etc) of the ID you used to register with the EU Settlement Scheme, for example a passport or an EU National ID card
• access to either the mobile number or the email address used to apply for settled status (a one-time pass code will be sent to it)
• your date of birth

Please email the ‘share code’ to housing.benefits@redbridge.gov.uk as soon as possible to prevent your Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction ending.

EU nationals who arrived in the UK on or after 1 January 2021 

EU nationals who arrive in the UK on or after 1 January 2021 are now subject to immigration control and have restricted access to Housing Benefit and/or Council Tax Support. 

A person subject to immigration control is a person who: 

• requires leave to enter/remain but does not have it
• has leave subject to ‘no recourse to public funds’ 
• has leave as a result of a maintenance undertaking 
• has leave solely due to appealing a refusal to vary leave 

From 1 January 2021 all EU nationals who arrive in the UK on or after this date will be treated as a person subject to immigration control and may be excluded from eligibility to Housing Benefit and/or Council Tax Support. 

 

More information about the EU Settlement Scheme.