Theresa May intended to gradually phase out the EU free movement rules even if the UK left the EU without an agreement, but the plans have been dropped by Boris Johnson. It would affect the rights of EU citizens arriving in the UK from November onwards. The new approach has not been set out.

Mrs May was considering two options to prolong the rules. The first was to extend them until January 2021, and the other was to allow EU citizens to stay in the United Kingdom for three months before needing to applying for a longer stay.

The Home Office says that EU citizens living in the UK have until December 2020 to apply for the right to remain. If the withdrawal agreement negotiated by former Prime Minister Mrs May had been accepted by MPS, freedom of movement should have continued for a transition period of two years. If an agreement cannot be reached then the UK will leave the EU on 31st October without a deal. Mr Johnson has said that although he wants to reach a new agreement with the EU he is willing to bring the United Kingdom out of the bloc without a deal.

An end to freedom of movement would not affect those EU citizens coming to the UK for holidays but would impact those who want to study or work in the UK. Irish citizens will not be directly affected. A deal has been agreed by British and Irish ministers to guarantee free movement for their citizens crossing the Irish border.