Suffolk County Council and UK's departure from the European Union

Information about the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) and advice relating to UK's departure from the EU.

Transition period

The UK has left the EU. The Transition period ended on 31 December 2020. New rules now apply.

EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS)

The deadline for applications to the EU Settlement Scheme was 30 June 2021.

If you or your family are from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein, you can still apply if you or a family member were living in the UK by 31 December 2020. You must also either:

  • meet one of the criteria for a later deadline to apply
  • have ‘reasonable grounds’ for not applying by 30 June 2021

You can also apply if you already have pre-settled status, and you’re applying for settled status.

You may be able to stay in the UK without applying, for example, if you’re an Irish citizen, or you already have indefinite leave to enter or remain. If your application is successful, you’ll get either settled or pre-settled status.

Sign up for email updates about the EU Settlement Scheme. Find more about applying for the EU Settlement Scheme on GOV.UK.

Advice for businesses and employers

The EUSS allows your employees and their close family members to continue to live and work in the UK after the end of the transition period.

Using the scheme will mean that they are eligible for public services, such as healthcare and schools, public funds and pensions, and British citizenship if they want to apply and meet the requirements.

You can use an Employer Toolkit to explain the scheme to your employees. It contains a range of ready to use leaflets and posters.

Advice for the voluntary and community sector, local authorities, partners and providers

The government has published community leader tool-kits which contain materials that can be used to raise awareness of the EU Settlement Scheme.

Advice for businesses

Leaving the EU means there will be changes that will affect businesses and individual citizens. Individuals and businesses can check what the new rules that apply after the end of the transition period.

The government's official website has links to news, guidance, services, research and policy related to the transition period, along with a database of transition-period and Brexit-related freedom of information requests.

There are a variety of different sources of information regarding the transition period, and our trading relationship outside of the European Union.

Resources include:

  • Suffolk Chamber of Commerce: a range of news, information and checklists for businesses. Furthermore, there are now two Trade and Business advisors working with the Suffolk Chamber of Commerce, who can be contacted by telephone on 01473 694803
  • Government Transition website: This site will offer guidance on how to prepare for the end of the transition period.
  • GOV.UK "Trade with the UK": provides businesses exporting goods into the UK market with detailed and up-to-date information on topics such as tariffs, taxes and rules. 
  • GOV.UK "Check How to Export Goods": provides exporters of goods out of the UK market with information such as duties and customs procedures for over 160 markets around the world

Information about the post-transition period for local authorities 

The government has published guidance for local government transition period preparedness. This includes advice on: