A HOME Office rule that placed millions of European Union citizens living in Britain at risk of deportation and joblessness has been found to be unlawful by the High Court. 

Under the current EU settlement scheme, citizens of EU countries who had lived in Britain for less than five years before Brexit were only eligible to apply for pre-settled status, which they must upgrade after five years in order to obtain settled status. 

Failure to do this would result in them losing their right of residency in Britain.