The plight of some Commonwealth Citizens who arrived in the UK before 1973 has been in the news this week.
Whilst the law granted them British Citizenship, papers to confirm this status were not issued. Over the last 45 years many have obtained passports or other items proving their status yet not all, with implications for accessing services and welfare benefits which now require proof of eligibility.
This subject was debated in parliament on Monday. The Home Secretary outlined to MPs the steps which would be taken to resolve this issue and ensure those affected are recognised as the British Citizens they are. The fees normally charged for documents proving eligibility to services will be waived and a special team created to assist with collecting the evidence required, including from HMRC records.
The evidence needed will not be for every year in the UK and can consist of items such as tax records for employment which prove residence before the relevant dates, something HMRC will be asked to assist with. The process will be simplified to ensure applicants do not need to employ legal representation to undertake it.
During the debate I asked what efforts would be made to bring the new procedures to people’s attention. You can read my contribution, along with all others who spoke, by clicking here.
If you know of anyone in Torbay affected by this issue do encourage them to get in touch and I will be happy to ensure their status is quickly resolved.