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.
We have two main duties:
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).
The Independent Monitoring Authority for the Citizens’ Rights Agreements has welcomed a move by the Department for Education (DfE) to amend legislation which could have excluded some EU and EEA EFTA families living and working in England from receiving childcare.
The IMA has published its first early case resolution following several complaints from EU citizens about delays and uncertainty in obtaining health insurance cards.
The Independent Monitoring Authority for the Citizens’ Rights Agreements (IMA) is advising EU citizens to make sure they apply for settled status as soon as possible amid growing concerns about the length of time it is taking the Home Office to deal with some applications.
The Independent Monitoring Authority for the Citizens’ Rights Agreements (IMA) has reached an early case resolution with Pembrokeshire County Council to ensure EU and EEA EFTA citizens with pre-settled or settled status continue to receive housing support by the local authority.
Dr Kathryn Chamberlain has been appointed as the permanent Chief Executive of the Independent Monitoring Authority for the Citizens’ Rights Agreements (IMA).
The Independent Monitoring Authority for the Citizens’ Rights Agreements (IMA) is highlighting that EU and EEA EFTA citizens who have applied late to the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) must have their rights upheld by public bodies in the UK.
