EU project funding: FOI release

Information requested

1. How much money has been spent on the government's Stay in Scotland campaign since it was started, with a breakdown on costs per year and what the money was spent on? Can you include how much is allocated for the next financial year?

2. How much money has been given to the Citizens’ Rights Project overall with a breakdown on costs per year and what the money was spent on? Can you include how much is allocated for the next financial year?

3. How much money has been given to the Settled charity since it was formed, with a breakdown on costs per year and what the money was spent on? Can you include how much is allocated for the next financial year?.

Response

The answer to your questions are:

Q1. The total amount spent on the Scottish Government's Stay in Scotland campaign since it was launched is set out below including a breakdown of costs per year.

Year	Citizens Advice Scotland	Citizens’ Rights Project	COSLA	Positive Action In Housing	JustRight Scotland	Settled	Other Activity	Total (£)
2018-19	200000	-	-	-	-	-	-	200000
2019-20	354276	73788	-	9868	11100	-	-	462821
2020-21	378459	94550	39022	-	4160	-	13799	535896
2021-22	316945	93300	54822	-	4000	-	19705	469067
2022-23	193499	86500	38981	-	-	-	-	318980
2023-24	-	112100	73750	-	-	31000	-	216850
Total	1443179	460228	206575	9868	19260	31000	33504	2203614

Citizens Advice Scotland
Our main partners in the campaign have been Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS). In December 2018, the then Minister for Europe announced a three-year funding package to Citizens Advice Scotland.

• 2018-19 (£200k)
• 2019-20 (£300k)
• 2020-21 (£300k)

CAS used the 2018-19 funding to mobilise their human and physical resources in time for the formal launch of the campaign in April 2019. Together with funding from the Home Office, CAS provide a EU Citizens Support Service (EUCSS) which includes:

• a telephone advice service, open Monday to Friday 9am until 5pm
• a network of advisors based in citizen advice bureaux across Scotland
• a solicitor who represents citizens with complex immigration cases

In 2019 we expanded the solicitor service to two solicitors (an additional £55,959). In late 2021, we provided CAS with £22,500 to market the EUCSS. Between December 2018 and September 2021, we have provided CAS with £1,249,680.

Citizens’ Rights Project (CRP)
We have funded the CRP since 2019 to, ‘provide information, advice and support for EU citizens in Scotland by connecting groups and organisations working within European communities’. CRP manage a network of volunteer advisors and run information and awareness raising sessions across Scotland as well as online.

COSLA
In 2021 we agreed to fund an International Organisation for Migration caseworker based at COSLA to support vulnerable citizens who have contact with local authorities and that need to apply to the EUSS.

Positive Action in Housing
We worked briefly with the third sector organisation Positive Action in Housing to reach homeless and vulnerable people in Glasgow.

JustRight Scotland
We have worked closely with the human rights organisation JustRight Scotland. In 2019-20, they provided us with guidance on EU citizens’ rights and since 2020-21 they have help us produce and update factsheets for EU citizens explaining their rights in Scotland.

Settled
In 2023 we funded a part-time caseworker at Settled. The caseworker is qualified at OISC level 2 and is able to provide advice and representation to EU citizens with more complex cases.

Other activity
The Scottish Government's Citizens’ Rights team have been engaged in other activities to encourage and help EU citizens remain in Scotland. These include but are not limited to wide-ranging stakeholder engagement, a regularly updated mygov.scot page, fact sheets, toolkits and our own Stay in Scotland marketing campaign.

Q2. Citizens’ Rights Project have used our funding to deliver EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) immigration advice to EU citizens and their families who, for whatever reason, need support with the EUSS application. They have also provided a range of outreach events, including drop-in clinics for EU citizens and their family members and briefing session for employers and advisers. They also work with a wide range of third sector organisations to ensure their work reaches as many as possible.

Q3. Settled has only been funded through our Stay in Scotland campaign since the start of the 2023-24 financial year. This is in recognition of the increasing demand for complex immigration advice for EUSS applicants. Settled will be providing complex immigration advice to EU citizens and their families in Scotland, taking referrals from and working collaboratively with other third sector organisations.

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