The IMA receives complaints as part of our duty to monitor and promote the implementation and application of the Citizens’ Rights parts of the Withdrawal and Separation Agreements.
The IMA received 92 complaints in 2025. Whilst this is lower than previous years, complaints continue to be key to helping us to understand issues citizens who feel their rights aren’t being upheld by public bodies, are experiencing.
Out of the 64 complaints received that were within the IMA’s remit, 80% relate to new or ongoing issues being considered by the IMA. Information about our ongoing work is published on our Issues Log.
13 complaints within the IMA’s remit, resulted in no further action. However, all complaints received give valuable insight into citizens experiences in the UK and Gibraltar.
Below we detail the types of complaints we received in 2025, including the rights affected, the public bodies involved, and the nationalities of those who submitted complaints. The data relates to all complaints, both within and not within our remit.
Graph 1: Complaints received in 2025:
The IMA received 92 complaints from 1 January to 31 December 2025. We received the most complaints in November. 46% of the complaints received in November were in relation to the Home Office, whilst 31% were in relation to His Majesty’s Government of Gibraltar.
Graph 2: Complaints received in 2025 vs. 2024, 2023, 2022 and 2021:
Graph 2 (above) shows how many complaints have been received in each year the IMA has been in operation. The top 3 months on average are May, October and July. The lowest months on average are April, September and December.
Graph 3: Complaints received by affected right:
Graph 3 (above) shows how many complaints have been received in relation to each right.
The largest group of complaints received continue to relate to the right to reside, followed by equal treatment. No complaints were received in relation to mutual recognition of professional qualifications. This graph and the analysis below are about all complaints received by the IMA whether in or out of scope of the IMA’s remit.
Residency – This means the right to live in the UK or Gibraltar and includes the right to enter and exit the UK.
The complaints are mainly connected in some way to the UK Government’s EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS), run by the Home Office.
The issues raised in these types of complaints include:
- Citizens experiencing long wait times for their EUSS applications, administrative reviews and appeals.
- Difficulties entering the UK, both at point of boarding with Carriers and also at the UK Border. This includes travel with Identity cards and those with pending EUSS applications.
- Difficulties for holders of pre-settled status when applying for settled status.
- Difficulties updating UKVI profiles with new identity documents and personal information.
The most complaints about residency were received from complainants marking their nationality as Pakistan, and Poland.
Equal Treatment – EU and EEA EFTA citizens and their family members must be treated the same as UK and Gibraltarian citizens when it comes to accessing certain public services and some benefits.
The issues raised in these complaints include access to housing and access to the UK Government Gateway online service.
The most complaints about equal treatment were received from complainants marking their nationality as Poland and Portugal.
Co-ordination of Social Security – This means that individuals who have lived in both the UK and the EU before the end of the transition period can continue to access pensions, benefits, and other forms of social security. The transition period was the 11-month grace period agreed by the UK and the EU following the UK’s exit on 31 January 2020.
The issues raised in these complaints include difficulties applying for pensions, delays in receiving proof of national insurance contributions, and changes to the Winter Fuel payment.
The most complaints about residency were received from complainants marking their nationality as Bulgaria, Italy and Estonia.
Work – This means the right to work, including self-employed work. Also, the right to continue to be a frontier worker. Frontier workers are citizens who are employed or self-employed in the UK and Gibraltar but live elsewhere.
The issues raised in these types of complaints include issues with eligibility checks for employment within the UK Civil Service.
Mutual recognition of professional qualifications –This means the right for qualifications which have already been recognised before 31 December 2020 (or were in the process of being recognised at that time), to continue to be recognised in the UK.
No complaints were received in relation to this right.
Graph 4: Public authorities named in complaints to the IMA in 2025
Graph 4 (above) demonstrates that most of the complaints reported to the IMA relate to the Home Office, followed by Department for Work and Pensions. The unknown figure reflects complaints received where there was no UK or Gibraltar public authority, or organisation identified.
The most complaints about the Home Office were received from citizens marking their nationality as Poland followed by Pakistan and Portugal. The most complaints about Department for Work and Pensions were from UK citizens followed by Portugal.
Graph 5: Nationalities of complainants in 2025:
Graph 5 (above) shows the nationalities of those who made complaints to the IMA in 2025.We continue to receive complaints from a diverse range of nationalities. Where we refer to UK nationals this may include dual nationals. Additionally, “unknown” reflects those citizens who have not declared their nationality. Polish citizens submitted the most complaints about residency followed by equal treatment. Portuguese citizens’ complaints were mostly about residency followed by equal treatment. UK citizens’ complaints were also mostly about residency.
Graph 6: Where complainants reside:
Graph 6 (above) shows where citizens complaining to the IMA in 2025 reside. Most complainants reside in England; this mirrors all previous years. UK refers to citizens who did not identify which area of the UK they are residing. Those living outside the UK, include complainants who are joining relevant family members already residing in the UK. The most complained about right across each UK region and Gibraltar was residency, with Co-ordination of social security being the most complained about right for those living outside of the UK.