The social welfare rights of UK citizens in Ireland and vice versa are officially unaffected despite Brexit

The IRISH PEOPLE will continue to benefit from social welfare rights in the UK and vice versa despite Brexit, the Department of Social Protection has said.

The calm comes after the Minister of Social Protection, Heather Humphreys, signed the order to start a social security agreement with the United Kingdom.

The Common Travel Zone (CTA) between Ireland and the UK has been maintained despite Brexit, which means that citizens of either country are free to live, work and study in the other.

Therefore, the convention seeks to extend these freedoms to social welfare rights.

“I am pleased to assure people that my department has good news for citizens, the welfare arrangements that we already have will continue without any change,” Humphreys said today.

As a result of starting the convention now, I can assure you that whether you are an Irish citizen living in the UK or a British citizen living in Ireland, your welfare rights will not change after January 1, 2021.

The agreement covers a range of different benefits, including sickness, parents, pensions and unemployment.

Under the terms of the convention, Ireland will also recognize UK social insurance contributions made by EU citizens in the UK for the purposes of social security benefits in Ireland.