The Suffolk Law Centre (SLC), which offers free legal advice and support for residents unable to afford the costs of a lawyer, has issued a stark warning about the impending cut-off point for European Union nationals to legally remain in the UK, including some living in the Shotley peninsula area.

The European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) requires citizens of the bloc's 27- member countries to apply for permission to continue living and, where relevant, working in this country.

With the deadline of 30 June for applications fast approaching, SLC lawyers have raised concerns both at the slow turnaround times being taken by the Home Office to process these requests and the lack of concerted effort to reach out to those who have not yet applied.

The implications of both situations are potentially very serious indeed:

• If an EU national has applied for pre-settled/settled status but not received it by the 30th of June, they may face issues with proving their right to live in the UK. They will not be able to access their "share code" yet, which is used to evidence their right to work, access benefits and NHS services

• If an EU national has not applied for an EUSS status will face difficulties if they try to move to a new house, change jobs, accessing NHS services and benefits. They will have no right to reside in the United Kingdom and if they try any of the previous, the Home Office might be informed and start deportation proceedings.

According to Tomasz Sikora-Pouivet, a SLC paralegal: "one estimate suggests that over 300,000 people nationally may fall into these two categories, including many children. In Suffolk, we think that hundreds of residents, who were living here totally legally until the 30 June deadline, may be about to find themselves being asked to leave."

Audrey Ludwig, SLC's director and senior solicitor, explained that: "from our experience in advising Suffolk-based EU nationals, there are many process issues contributing to such a backlog. These include confusion with other visa and immigration statuses, technical issues with the EU Exit App and delays in paper copies of the required forms being sent out and assumptions by some parents that their children were British automatically, having been born here."

As a result, SLC is calling for both an extension to the EUSS deadline for an additional three months and improvements to how the Home Office communicates its requirements, including versions in languages other than English.

The Centre is also writing to all seven of Suffolk's MPs to alert them to the plight faced by their own constituents affected by these issues.

"Suffolk is all the better and more prosperous thanks to the contributions being made by our EU nationals. With many businesses, especially in the hospitality and land-based sectors, expressing worries about labour shortages, it would be a win-win if the hundreds of local people who may be about to find themselves in a legal limbo, through no fault of their own, were given a little more help and a little more time to apply for settled status" added Audrey Ludwing.