Brexit: EU nationals 'will need documentation to stay in UK'

The Home Secretary revealed the stipulation when being questioned in the House of Commons

Some 3.2 million EU nationals will need documentation to prove they can stay in the UK, the Home Secretary has said.

Amber Rudd was speaking in the House of Commons about arrangements after Brexit for EU citizens living in Britain.

She was asked by Labour how employers and landlords could distinguish between those allowed to live and work here and those who had arrived recently and missed the "cut-off".

Ms Rudd said: "There will be a need to have some sort of documentation."

She promised a "phased approach" to ensure the government used "all the technology advantages that we are increasingly being able to harness to ensure that all immigration is carefully handled".

She added: "But we are not going to set it out yet."

Later, Robert Goodwill, the Immigration Minister, confirmed that "no additional documentation" was needed "at this stage".

However, he refused to respond directly to a suggestion from the Liberal Democrats that the cost of the process of documenting EU nationals could be £100m per year and involve 3,000 extra staff.