Official Statistics

EU Settlement Scheme quarterly statistics, December 2022

Published 23 February 2023

1. Introduction

In line with the Citizens’ Rights Agreements, the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) enables EU, other EEA and Swiss citizens resident in the UK by the end of the transition period at 11pm on 31 December 2020, and their family members, to obtain a UK immigration status. Further information about the EUSS, including eligibility requirements and details regarding making a late application, can be found on the GOV.UK EU Settlement Scheme webpage.

1.1 About this release

This publication takes an in-depth look at applications to the EUSS and covers the period from the launch of the first private beta scheme on 28 August 2018 to 31 December 2022.

Applications to the scheme and their outcomes are presented by nationality, age, and geography (which includes constituent parts of the UK, region and local authority) along with analysis of applications received after the 30 June 2021 deadline.

Individuals who have made repeat applications to the EUSS are referred to as ‘Repeat applicants’ within this report. Figures on their applications and outcomes are included in this publication, reflecting a data matching methodology which enables us to link multiple applications to individual applicants. Additional detail on repeat application data can be found in the About the data section and in section 5.2 and 5.3 in the Home Office EU Settlement Scheme statistics: user guide.

2. Key points

This report covers the period from 28 August 2018 to 31 December 2022.

Figure 1: EU Settlement Scheme: Total and cumulative number of applications received and concluded by quarter since the start of the scheme

Source: Table EUSS_MON, EU Settlement Scheme quarterly statistics tables

Figure 1 above shows the total applications and conclusions by quarter since the start of the scheme. There are peaks in applications and conclusions in Q3 (July to September) and Q4 (October to December) of 2019 during key negotiation periods, as well as Q4 (October to December) 2020 and Q2 (April to June) 2021, which reflected the 30 June 2021 deadline for applications by those resident in the UK by 31 December 2020. Applications since 30 June 2021 have remained steady, averaging 55,000 per month.

Applications received

• as of 31 December 2022, 7 million (7,040,670) applications had been received, with 89% received in England, 5% in Scotland, 2% in Wales and 2% in Northern Ireland^{[footnote 1]}

• of the 7 million applications received, 92% (6.5 million) were from EEA nationals, with the highest number of applications from Romanian (1,415,310), Polish (1,181,550) and Italian (617,930) nationals

• of the 7 million applications received, 8% (555,530) were from non-EEA nationals, with the highest number of applications from Indian (89,190), Pakistani (77,000) and Brazilian nationals (58,510)

• there were 988,440 applications received from 1 July 2021 to 31 December 2022. Of those, 396,190 were late applications, 332,770 were repeat applications (including those moving from pre-settled to settled status), 252,800 were from joining family members and 6,690 were derivative rights applications

Applications concluded

• 6.9 million (6,859,670) applications had been concluded up to 31 December 2022

• of the concluded outcomes, 50% (3,420,270) were granted settled status, 39% (2,707,800) were granted pre-settled status and 11% had other outcomes (including 442,770 refused applications, 152,990 withdrawn or void applications, and 135,840 invalid applications)

• for applications received from 1 July 2021 to 31 December 2022, 834,950 were concluded. Of those, 309,600 were concluded late applications, 302,680 were concluded repeat applications, 217,450 were concluded joining family member applications and 5,220 were concluded derivative rights applications

Repeat applicants

• of the 7 million applications made up to 31 December 2022, an estimated 6 million people had applied to the scheme, of which 5.6 million applicants had obtained a grant of status (with 2.1 million holding pre-settled status at 31 December 2022)

• of the estimated 6 million people applying to the scheme, 881,040 (15%) were repeat applicants

• it is estimated that a total of 5,591,000 EEA applicants and 463,100 non-EEA nationals had applied to the EUSS up to 31 December 2022

• Romanian nationals accounted for the highest number of repeat applicants to the scheme (249,730, 28%)

• 88% of repeat applicants have received a grant of status (settled or pre-settled status)

• 54% (479,440) of repeat applicants have moved from pre-settled to settled status

• as of 31 December 2022, just over a quarter (124,780, 26%) of those moving from pre-settled to settled status were Romanian nationals

3. Applications to the EU Settlement Scheme

The total number of applications received up to 31 December 2022 was 7,040,670

Total number of applications received from 1 July 2021 to 31 December 2022 was 988,440

3.1 Applications post 30 June 2021 deadline

Following the 30 June 2021 deadline for applications to the EUSS by those resident in the UK by the end of the transition period on 31 December 2020, the scheme continues to receive applications. These are from 3 categories of applicant, late applications, repeat applications and joining family members. Please see the EUSS user guide for more information on these.

Applications from 1 July 2021 to 31 December 2022 show:

• there were 396,190 late applications
• 332,770 applications were from repeat applicants (including those moving from pre-settled to settled status)
• 252,800 applications were from joining family members
• 6,690 applications were from derivative rights applicants (see section 6 for more information on these)

Figure 2: EU Settlement Scheme: Applications by type post 30 June 2021, 1 July 2021 to 31 December 2022

Source: Table EUSS_POST_30_JUNE, EU Settlement Scheme quarterly statistics tables

Figure 2 shows the number of applications post 30 June 2021 by quarter with Q3 (July to September) 2021 having just under 90,000 late applications submitted to the scheme. This has decreased to just over 60,000 late applications submitted in Q4 (October to December) of 2022.

3.2 Repeat applicants

Of the 7 million applications received up to 31 December 2022, an estimated 6 million people (6,057,200) had applied to the scheme, with 5.6 million applicants (5,555,710) obtaining a grant of status^{[footnote 2]}. 881,040 (or 15%) were repeat applicants where the vast majority made just one further application (90%).

It is estimated that a total of 5,591,100 EEA national applicants and 463,100 non-EEA national applicants had applied to the scheme^{[footnote 3]}.

Of the repeat applicant cohort, as of 31 December 2022:

88% (778,590) of repeat applicants have received a grant of status (with 2.1 million holding pre-settled status at 31 December 2022):

• of those, 54% (479,440) moved from pre-settled to settled status

• 13% (110,760) received a grant of settled status following an ‘other’ outcome(s)^{[footnote 4]}

• 21% (188,390) received a grant of pre-settled status following an ‘other’ outcome(s) or a previous grant of pre-settled status

In addition:

• 12% (102,450) of repeat applicants have not received a grant of status (either pre-settled or settled status)

• of those, 1% (3,740) have not yet received an outcome

Repeat applicants by nationality

As of 31 December 2022, there were 802,110 EU national repeat applicants, with Romanian nationals (249,730) submitting the highest number of repeat applications (28%). Italian (101,600, 12%) and Polish (83,920, 10%) nationals made the second and third highest numbers of repeat applications.

78,750 (9%) of repeat applicants were non-EEA nationals.

Repeat applicants moving from pre-settled to settled status by nationality

As of 31 December 2022, just over a quarter (124,780, 26%) of those moving from pre-settled to settled status were Romanian nationals, followed by Italian nationals (76,800, 16%).

Figures on repeat applicants by nationality can be found in data Table EUSS_RA_01- EUSS_RA_04 EU Settlement Scheme quarterly statistics tables

More detail on repeat applicants definitions and methodology can be found in the EUSS user guide.

3.3 Applicants who have moved from pre-settled to settled status

Figure 3: EU Settlement Scheme: Repeat applicants moving from pre-settled to settled status by month, 28 August 2018 to 31 December 2022

Source: Table EUSS_MON, EU Settlement Scheme quarterly statistics tables

Figure 3 shows the number of applicants who have moved from pre-settled to settled status per month since the launch of the scheme. There has been a steady increase in numbers from December 2019 onwards, with June 2021 seeing the largest number of people moving from pre-settled to settled status (25,060 applicants), followed by May 2022 (24,700). December 2021 and April 2022 saw a dip in these figures, which reflected the low number of applications overall for those months.

3.4 Applications by nationality

In total, there were 6,416,880 applications received from EU nationals, 68,010 received from other EEA and Swiss nationals and 555,530 received from non-EEA nationals. The nationalities with the highest number of applications received were:

• Romanian (1,415,310), of which 333,690 were post 30 June 2021
• Polish (1,181,550), of which 75,390 were post 30 June 2021
• Italian (617,930), of which 68,510 were post 30 June 2021

Romanian nationals accounted for a third (34%) of all applications received from 1 July 2021 to 31 December 2022.

3.5 Applications from non-EEA nationals

There were 555,530 applications from non-EEA nationals.

The top 5 non-EEA nationalities reflect a similar pattern to applications received through the EUSS family permit route, which were published in the latest Immigration Quarterly statistics. EUSS family permits enable family members of EU, other EEA and Swiss citizens, resident in the UK by the end of the transition period (and who, with some exceptions, have pre-settled or settled status under the EUSS), and of qualifying British citizens returning to the UK after living in the EEA or Switzerland, to join them in the UK. Once here, the family member can then apply to the EUSS for the immigration status they need to continue living in the UK.

The top 5 non-EEA nationalities to have applied to the scheme up to 31 December 2022 were:

• India (89,190)
• Pakistan (77,000)
• Brazil (58,510)
• Nigeria (37,150)
• Albania (36,520)

This has remained fairly consistent with no change from the previous quarter.

June 2021 saw the highest number of applications from non-EEA nationals (44,220), compared to 137,230 applications from 1 July 2021 to 31 December 2022, where on average 7,620 applications per month were received.

Figures on applications by non-EEA nationals can be found in data Tables EUSS_NON_EEA_01 and EUSS_NON_EEA_02 EU Settlement Scheme quarterly statistics tables

Ukrainian nationals

Ukrainian nationals accounted for 3% of applications to the EUSS from non-EEA nationals (14,140). Data on visas issued to Ukrainian nationals under the Ukraine Family Scheme and the Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme are updated regularly here: Ukraine Family Scheme, Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme (Homes for Ukraine) and Ukraine Extension Scheme visa data - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

Finalised data on visa applications are available in the quarterly Home Office “Immigration System Statistics”, in the chapter “Statistics on Ukrainians in the UK”.

3.6 Applications by age group

Volume of applications and conclusions by age have remained stable over the course of the scheme. Please see EU Settlement Scheme quarterly statistics tables for further information.

4. Concluded applications to the EU Settlement Scheme

The number of concluded applications up to 31 December 2022 was 6,859,670. Of those, 50% (3,420,270) were granted settled status and 39% (2,707,800) were granted pre-settled status. There were 442,770 refusals, 152,990 withdrawn or void outcomes and 135,840 invalid outcomes in the same period, which represents 11%, when combined, of total outcomes. Of the refusals, 99% were refused on eligibility grounds and less than 1% were refused on suitability grounds^{[footnote 5]}.

4.1 Concluded applications by type post 30 June 2021

For applications received from 1 July 2021 to 31 December 2022, 834,950 were concluded, of which:

• 309,600 were from late applicants (with 48% granted status)
• 302,680 were from repeat applicants (with 92% granted status)
• 217,450 were from joining family members (with 53% granted status)
• 5,220 were from derivative rights applicants (with 7% granted status)

Figures on derivative rights cases can be found in section 6.

4.2 Concluded applications by UK country

The majority of concluded applications were received from England (6,126,980; 89%), with an additional 319,140 from Scotland (5%), 111,900 from Northern Ireland (2%) and 109,690 from Wales (2%).

Figure 4: Settled status proportion of grants by region for the whole of the UK, up to 31 December 2022

Source: Table EUSS_LA_03, EU Settlement Scheme local authority tables

Figure 4 shows the proportion of concluded settled status applications by region with the North West, North East and Yorkshire and The Humber having the lowest proportions (45% to 50%) of settled status. This has been stable for some time.

4.3 Concluded applications by nationality

There were 6,261,830 concluded applications from EU nationals, 66,590 from other EEA and Swiss nationals, and 531,080 from non-EEA nationals. Similar to the number of applications received, the nationalities with the highest number of concluded applications were:

• Romanian (1,350,640)
• Polish (1,166,360)
• Italian (609,130)
• Portuguese (462,690)
• Spanish (396,050)

For non-EEA nationals, the top 5 nationalities in concluded applications were:

• Indian (86,990)
• Pakistani (74,230)
• Brazilian (54,920)
• Nigerian (34,820)
• Albanian (34,250)

Figure 5: EU Settlement Scheme: number and proportion of concluded applications by nationality and outcome, 28 August 2018 to 31 December 2022 - top 10 nationalities (and non-EEA nationals) by number of concluded applications

Source: Table EUSS_03_UK, EU Settlement Scheme quarterly statistics tables

As seen in Figure 5, eligible non-EEA nationals had a greater proportion of pre-settled outcomes (56%) than settled outcomes (28%). Proportions of refusals for non-EEA nationals remain low at 9% but are slightly higher than for EU nationals at 6%.

5. Applications to the EU Settlement Scheme by local authority

Applications to the EUSS were made from 376 UK local authorities^{[footnote 6]}. Birmingham saw the highest number of applications to the scheme overall (170,290), overtaking Newham for the first time, where the number of applications to the scheme was 169,590.

The volume of applications and conclusions by local authority have remained stable over the course of the scheme. Please see EU Settlement Scheme local authority tables for further information.

6. Applications based on a derivative right to reside

Derivative rights applicants are applicants who did not qualify for a right of residence under the Free Movement Directive but may have had a right to reside in the UK before the end of the transition period derived from other EU law. Derivative rights applicants can apply to the EUSS under one of the following routes:

• Chen
• Ibrahim & Teixeira
• Lounes & Surinder Singh
• Zambrano

More information on these routes and their eligibility requirements can be found in the Home Office EU Settlement Scheme statistics: user guide.

There were 4,760 applications received (4,700 concluded) from family members of British citizens (Lounes and Surinder Singh), 14,790 applications received (12,870 concluded) from Zambrano applicants, 2,220 applications received (1,830 concluded) from Chen applicants and 440 applications received (350 concluded) from Ibrahim & Teixeira applicants.

When looking at the refusals in the derivative rights applications, Zambrano applications (10,300) accounted for 95% of the total refusals (10,790).

7. About these statistics

If, as a user, you have any comments on this report please email MigrationStatsEnquiries@homeoffice.gov.uk. Please include the words ‘EUSS PUBLICATION FEEDBACK’ in the subject of your email.

The findings presented here are based on data collected from Home Office administrative systems. These systems hold records of individual applications that have been received to the EU Settlement Scheme and their outcomes (settled or pre-settled status, and other outcomes). As these are sourced from live operational systems, numbers may change and may not precisely reflect other published statistics produced at a different point in time. The majority of applicants to the scheme are EEA nationals, but non-EEA nationals are eligible to apply in some cases. Non-EEA nationals who have submitted an application to the scheme are included in these statistics.

The Home Office EU Settlement Scheme statistics: user guide provides further details on this topic, including definitions used, data conventions, methods, data quality, and further considerations arising from figures based on data sourced from a live operational database.

7.1 About the data

The EU Settlement Scheme statistics were designated as ‘Official Statistics’ from May 2022. For more information, please see Section 3 in the Home Office EU Settlement Scheme statistics: user guide

Figures in this publication refer specifically to applications made to the EU Settlement Scheme and cannot be directly compared with estimates of the resident population of EU/EEA nationals in the UK. Figures in this report include non-EEA national family members and eligible EEA nationals not resident in the UK. None of these are usually included in estimates of the resident EU/EEA population. Furthermore, the population estimates do not take account of people’s migration intentions and will include people who have come to the UK for a range of purposes, including some who have no intention to settle in the UK.

Paper applications including derivative rights to reside

Applications to the EU Settlement Scheme are generally made through an online system, although there are certain exceptions where applications may be submitted using a paper application form.

Paper application forms may be submitted by applicants who:

• are applying on the basis of a derivative right to reside
• do not hold a valid identity document and are unable to obtain one
• are unable to apply using the online application form and cannot be supported to do so

Additional information can be found on the GOV.UK EU Settlement Scheme webpage and in the Home Office EU Settlement Scheme statistics: user guide.

Repeat applications

The data in this report account for the number of applications to the system, including individuals making applications on more than one occasion. An individual who has been granted pre-settled status can make a new application at a later stage for settled status. As these are separate applications with separate outcomes, they are counted separately in the statistics. There are several case working systems used to administer applications to the scheme, with each application having a unique application number but not a single person identifier to distinguish repeat applicants. Analysis using probabilistic data matching methods have been developed to better understand the number of repeat applicants to the scheme. This allows us to provide more accurate figures on the number of people who have applied to the EU Settlement Scheme overall, including their outcomes. More information regarding the methodology is provided in section 5.3 in the Home Office EU Settlement Scheme statistics: user guide

7.2 User Guide

The Home Office EU Settlement Scheme statistics: user guide provides further details on this topic including, definitions used, data conventions, methods, data quality, and issues arising from figures based on data sourced from a live operational database.

8. Other related data

The EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) family permit enables family members of EU, other EEA and Swiss citizens resident in the UK by the end of the transition period (and who, with some exceptions, have pre-settled or settled status under the EUSS), and of qualifying British citizens returning to the UK after living in the EEA or Switzerland, to join them in the UK. Once here the family member can then apply to the EUSS for the immigration status they need to continue living in the UK. Data on EUSS family permits are published as part of the quarterly Home Office “Immigration System Statistics” and are covered in the chapter ‘Why do people come to the UK? For family reasons’.

The latest quarterly Immigration Statistics report was published on 23 February 2023.

The Home Office Looked After Children and Care Leavers Survey, 2021 provides estimates of the numbers of looked after children and care leavers eligible to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme. The follow up survey findings identified 3,895 looked after children and care leavers eligible to apply to the EUSS, and that 95% had applied to the scheme as of 30 November 2021. The updated report was published on 9 December 2021.

8.1 Feedback

We welcome feedback on the ‘EU Settlement Scheme statistics’ publications. Additionally, we’re always looking to improve the accessibility of our documents. If you find any problems, or have any feedback relating to accessibility or otherwise, please contact us by emailing MigrationStatsEnquiries@homeoffice.gov.uk. Please include the words ‘EUSS PUBLICATION FEEDBACK’ in the subject of your email.

9. Data tables

Further data on the EU Settlement Scheme for the period 28 August 2018 to 31 December 2022, are available in:

• EUSS_01 to EUSS_05, EUSS_DR_01, EUSS_POST_30_JUNE, EUSS_RA_01 to EUSS_RA_04 , EUSS_MON, EUSS_Non_EEA_01 and EUSS_Non_EEA_02 EU Settlement Scheme quarterly statistics tables

• EUSS_LA_01 to EUSS_LA_03, EU Settlement Scheme quarterly local authority tables

10. Upcoming publications

The next quarterly EU Settlement Scheme release is due for publication on 25 May 2023.

1. The EUSS user guide (section 3.6) provides information on applications where locational data is not available or in an analysable format from live systems. This proportion (2.8%) includes applications associated with a non-UK address. ↩

2. Figures on repeat application analysis may not exactly match those in the analysis of cases processed. ↩

3. Figures in this publication refer specifically to applications made to the EUSS, including repeat applications as people transition from pre-settled to settled status. These estimates cannot be directly compared with estimates of the resident population of EU/EEA nationals in the UK. Please see the EUSS user guide (section 6.1) for more information. ↩

4. ‘Other’ outcome includes refused, withdrawn/void or invalid. ↩

5. Refusals by suitability stand at less than 0.1% of total refusals as of 31 December 2022. ↩

6. Local Authority Districts (August 2022) Names and Codes in the United Kingdom. ↩