EU Settlement Scheme — LGBT dimension: Network support to community members on ‘Hostile Environment’ potential risks

In whatever form ‘Brexit’ takes change is coming in regard to status of EU nationals living, working, studying in the UK. Consequently the Home Office has launched an ‘EU Settlement’ scheme which is mainly being publicised through Citizens Advice (including the Dorset area). You can lean more at For further information please visit www.gov.uk/eusettledstatus and https://www.citizensadvicebcp.org.uk/home/eu-settlement-scheme/ — in the Bournemouth Christchurch Poole area you can also contact Citizens Advice (Maggie) at 07761 092704 / Adviceline 03444 111 444 or email: euss.advice@citizensadvicebcp.org.uk

The Network as one of its local to national special areas of support to our community, is aware of the scale and seriousness of adverse experiences of LGB&T community members on LGB&T specific issues in accessing and using UK Immigration services in the era of the Hostile Environment.  Particularly for instance the ‘culture of non-belief’ to overt experiences of homophobia in Home Office immigration services and the Immigration Tribunal delivery against those who have demonstrated the genuine nature of their UK immigration related applications and how these have been treated.

This area of expertise of the Network is one in which in partnership with Just a Ball Game? organisation and others — both LGBT and non-LGBT (trades unions, womens equality organisations, etc.) with interests in the human rights and transparency & accountability in government services delivery areas (Home Office, etc.) — we are working mainly at a national and international level (as well as of course Dorset).

Some dominant cultures & societies within some EU countries have a record of still entrenched often extreme, homophobia, biphobia, transphobia compared to, in the main, the UK, with community members from those lands often settling here for safety and LGBT human rights reasons, which on the basis of their record with the rest of the world the Home Office & Immigration Tribunal will not be taking in to account.

Below are some example articles on the issues involved, that on the basis of record and reasonable probability could shortly face EU nationals who are LGBT:

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/sep/02/home-office-refused-thousands-of-lgbt-asylum-claims-figures-reveal?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Tweet

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/uk-black-pride-month-home-office-stall-lgbt-discrimination-a8988591.html

https://attitude.co.uk/article/uk-judge-rejects-lgbtq-asylum-seeker-for-not-having-gay-demeanour/21646/

We have extensive expertise and information resources in this field, and therefore in conjunction with support to Citizens Advice in the BCP area on the Home Office ‘EU Settlement’ information on making applications, welcome your contact should you have bad experiences of making settlement, Leave to Remain applications through this Home Office programme. Please email us at contact.lgbtdorsetequality@gmail.com

You can also contact the UK Lesbian & Gay Immigration Group (UKLGIG) which is the main national UK organisation, providing a number of guidance support opportunities for you to access if you feel you have been a victim of anti-LGBT prejudice and indirect discrimination in using the EU Settlement programme: https://uklgig.org.uk/