Listen to this post

What are the people implications of Brexit under a no-deal scenario compared to what is likely to happen if a deal can be reached?

Download our full analysis of the implications for employees, including the impact on the right to travel and work across the EU, employment rights and social security.

In summary

  • Little change is expected to UK employment rights on 29 March 2019, whether or not a deal is reached.
  • Any new deal which is approved is likely to contain the same people provisions as those set out in the current draft UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement, although this is not guaranteed. We explain those provisions in our full analysis.
  • In a no-deal scenario, EU citizens in the UK will be able to apply to remain in the UK using the New EU Settlement Scheme but it is unclear whether UK nationals working in the EU will benefit from similar protection.
  • If a deal is reached, there will be a transition period during which all EU employment law will continue to apply. After that, despite long-term scope for future watering-down or dismantling of EU-derived worker rights, this is not the current UK government’s stated intention and any future trading agreement may involve some form of continuing commitment to shared employment standards.

download pdf button

(With thanks to Stephen Ratcliffe and Tony Haque in our London office.)