The CSP has welcomed news that the proposed settled status charge for EU nationals will be waived, removing the financial barrier for EU citizens who want to stay in the UK after Brexit.
The plan – which is currently being piloted - required EU nationals to pay a fee of £65 (£32.50 for people under 16) to apply to stay in the UK once it leaves the European Union. Anyone who applied during the pilot phase will have their fee reimbursed.
Commenting on the PM’s announcement of the fee’s abolition, CSP chief executive Karen Middleton said: 'This will come as a relief for many European physios, students and support workers. It is also good news for NHS and other healthcare employers who have felt obliged to offer to pay registration fees for European staff.
'About seven per cent of the physiotherapy workforce are from Europe. Although physiotherapy is seeing a growth in the numbers of students training in the UK, we will not meet the needs of our aging population if we lose our overseas national physios and physio support workers. They are valued colleagues and critical to the delivery of services.'
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