CSI where am I: can EU citizens get compensation for Comprehensive Sickness Insurance?

Free Movement

Comprehensive Sickness Insurance continues to hang over the heads of many EU citizens who, over the years, were told that they needed private health coverage for their residence in the UK to be lawful. The UK government’s insistence on this was always legally controversial, but it took until after Brexit for the EU Court of Justice to rule (in a case referred to it just before the UK’s departure) that CSI was not in fact required.

What are the implications of the ruling for EU citizens affected by the supposed CSI rule over the years? People were denied benefits, British citizenship and even protection against criminal deportation — not to mention spending money they didn’t need to. Even today, the government reserves the right to refuse naturalisation for past lack of CSI (even if it doesn’t in practice). Joining me on the podcast with thoughts on righting the wrong are Luke Piper of the3million and the CSI Justice campaign, and Professor Charlotte O’Brien of York Law School and the EU Rights and Brexit Hub.