Thread by @theseraphus

1/8 ICYMI - Webcast of @cldesira's presentation to the @Edinburgh_CC Culture and Communities Committee about #SettledStatus: bit.ly/2lIR86B

Please watch the presentation, and illuminating discussion with Councillors below are just some key points:

2/8 Inadequate communications strategy by the @ukhomeoffice:

- To date - *only in English*

- Only geared towards EU citizens leaving out: EEA/Swiss citizens, non-EEA family members, family members of Irish citizens, family members of British-European Citizens

3/8 @ukhomeoffice Grants for organisations assisting vulnerable people to apply are vastly inadequate

- @ukhomeoffice estimates that 5-10% of the <4 million who need to apply are vulnerable - £9 million of funding is pennies per-head
- Funding contracts only run until 04/2020

4/8 The application form doesn’t explain that minor offences should not have an impact on the outcome of the application - meaning 1000's who need to apply are justifiably wary of applying.

5/8 there is a massive difference between #SettledStatus and #PreSettledStatus primarily:

- Access to benefits and housing support
- The simple fact that people with #PreSettledStatus will have to remember to apply to the future

6/8 those without a valid passport are facing delays from inundated consulates lasting months, longer still for people applying for one for the first time -

- Also - *most consulates are in London*
- This means that some people, may already struggle to meet the12/2022 deadline

7/8 Watch the full stream for an illuminating discussion with Councillors addressing issues like:

- Obstacles faced by Roma / Sinti, looked-after children, street-homeless, digitally illiterate, pensioners, women and children - the list goes on

8/8 Huge thank you to @Edinburgh_CC for inviting us - reassuring to know that councils are doing what they can to pick up the @ukhomeoffice’s slack

@CultureCmmunity, @HalOsler, @AMcNeeseMechan, @susan4leithwalk