Adults from EU countries would have had to pay £65 to remain in the UK with the same rights after withdrawing from the EU
Theresa May has announced her plans to charge European Union citizens to stay in the country have been scrapped, despite the pilot for the scheme being launched on Monday.
It had been touted that adults until the age of 61 from EU countries other than Ireland would need to pay £65 and children £32.50 to claim "settled status" to stay in the UK, however, May confirmed that this policy had now been ditched.
Delivering a statement to the Commons on Monday, the prime minister said: "We have already committed to ensuring that EU citizens in the UK will be able to stay and to continue to access in-country benefits and services on broadly the same terms as now, in both a deal and a no deal scenario.
"Indeed, the next phase of testing of the scheme for EU nationals to confirm their status has launched today.
"And having listened to concerns from members – and organisations like The 3 Million group - I can confirm today that when we roll out the scheme in full on 30 March, the government will waive the application fee so that there is no financial barrier for any EU nationals who wish to stay."
Settled status will give EU citizens the same access to health care and education following Brexit. Anybody who has applied already will have the charge refunded to them, May added.
Jeremy Corbyn and MPs from across the Commons welcomed the change of policy, however, some claimed it should never have been touted at all.
Labour MP Stella Creasy said: "Extraordinary the Tories are now boasting they are scrapping pay to stay for EU citizens.
"It was their idea in the first place! It's like the burglar who ransacks your house and then wants a reward for returning something of sentimental value."
