At least a third of EU citizens in UK report discrimination by public bodies

10 comments

1. I think the source of this discrimination from an EU national’s point of view is that many people don’t fully understand our status and rights.

   It’s not always malicious, but I think some staff in public bodies haven’t been trained on this specific issue.

2. I am an EU citizen and have lived in the UK for 10 years and counting and I have never experienced any discrimination.

3. I wonder if this discrimination they feel is because they are treated like locals rather than how they would be treated in their own country

4. When I was living in Southampton I was using the Bournemouth airport to travel and visit my parents, when I was returning they always asked more questions than anyone ever asked me before at the airport, where do I live, where do I work, how much I earn, what is my role title, what is the name of my employer, do I know anyone in the UK who could confirm who I am, what is my home address, how long do I live there – bloody every single time

   Never happened to me before in London, or now in Liverpool

5. Its 100% for all my friends and family.

6. Get in the queue behind white British men

7. Not direct experience but having worked with legal services which occasionally involved EU nationals, there’s a disconnect between what the police think is the law and what the law actually is.

   Driving licences being one particular issue. You don’t need to ever exchange your EU licence to a UK licence, resident or otherwise, until you reach 70.

   Gemini incorrectly says you have to if you become a UK resident, but the official gov.uk checker says you can change it if you *wish* to, but it’s not a legal requirement. Same for the Road Traffic Act, the actual source of the law. It’s certainly worth changing, but not necessary.

   There’s been an uncomfortable number of police, including actual traffic police (who ought to know better), cocking up their interpretation of the law and wrongly stopping and intimidating EU nationals.

8. You mean the public bodies that my ancestors built and their ancestors didn’t, disproportionately benefit me? I see no problem here. If immigrants don’t like it, they can leave.

9. Do they perceive themselves discriminated against because they are EU citizens or do they perceive themselves discriminated against because the UK works in a different way to their nation of birth? Is it real or do we just do things differently in the UK?

   Ask white Brits whether they feel discriminated against and I hazard a guess you will get similar levels of discrimination reported by straight white males.

   UK officialdom discriminates based on ethnicity more often than it does so based on place of origin.

10. I’m married to an EU citizen in the UK and she’s never had an issue.

    She speaks English, is well educsted, follows the law, is well integrated and provides what’s asked for for e.g. ILR and citizenship….

    So she may not be like many of those that claim discrimination

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