The Home Office produce data and statistics on the EU settlement scheme – the application scheme, launched on 30 March 2019, for EU, EEA and Swiss citizens and their family to continue living in the UK after 30 June 2021. These statistics are released as experimental statistics meaning they are going through development and evaluation.
The Home Office is continuing to work to improve these statistics to ensure they meet the needs of users. At present, the statistics focus on the number of applications. This will differ from the number of applicants as the process may require repeat applications for an individual to be granted ‘settled status’. The Home Office is aware of the need to provide statistics not only on the number of applications to the scheme but also on the number of individual applicants.
Statistics are vital to support public debate and evaluation of government policies and programmes. Statistical producers must understand and respond to the key questions being asked in a topic area and seek to produce statistics that are at their most valuable to support this need for data and statistics.
As experimental statistics are developed, openly encouraging user feedback and fully considering the value of the statistics is essential. Providing users with information on development plans and timescales will help maintain user confidence throughout the process.