We promote the rights of EU and EEA EFTA citizens, and their family members, in the UK and monitor how UK public bodies are respecting and protecting those rights. If we find an issue, we have the power to investigate and take action.
We can use information from wider intelligence gathering or from complaints submitted to us in order to direct our work.
As part of our monitoring duties, we are undertaking assurance reviews across all local authorities in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. These are in regards to making and supporting EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) applications on behalf of all eligible looked after children, children in receipt of local authority care and support, and care leavers.
Once all assurance reviews for a nation or region have been concluded, the IMA will produce an updated regional report for the relevant area.
In May 2021 the IMA issued its first Call for Evidence. The online questionnaire ran for four weeks and sought the views and experiences of European nationals and their family members living in the UK regarding the UK government’s EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS).
The anonymised responses have been analysed and set out in a public report.
Each year we carry out an annual survey of EU and EEA EFTA nations (Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway) and their family members. The results of the surveys can be found below.
View the 2023 full report here.
View the 2022 full report here.
View the 2021 full report here (PDF, 801Kb).
The Independent Monitoring Authority (IMA), has investigated the processes used by Border Force; the part of the Home Office which secures the UK border following reports from citizens regarding problems travelling to, and entering the UK.
Below you can find a guide containing step-by-step videos for EU and EEA EFTA citizens and joining family members travelling to the UK which explains the procedures they should expect at the UK border.
Unless written otherwise in the Issues Log, ‘citizens*’ refers specifically to EU and EEA EFTA citizens and their family living in the UK and Gibraltar.
European Economic Area
European Free Trade Agreement
European Union Settlement Scheme
Settlement Resolution Centre
Early Case Resolution: an agreement between the IMA and a public authority enabling an existing or potential, systemic or general failure to be identified and addressed without the need for a full inquiry.
No Further Action: the IMA has been in dialogue with public bodies about certain issues and no further action has been taken, however this does not prevent the IMA from intervening or taking action at a later date.
If the IMA has evidence that there may have been a failure or imminent failure in the way in which a UK authority has implemented the citizens’ rights agreements, it can exercise its powers of inquiry to hold public bodies to account. Following an inquiry process, the IMA will publish reports which set out its conclusions and any recommendations for the public body to address the issue(s).
