About Us -
Settled is an independent charity set up in 2019 by European citizens living in the UK to provide free and trustworthy information, advice and support to others in the same position. Settled is accredited by the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner to provide immigration advice at OISC level 3.
For two years Settled focussed on helping European citizens make applications to stay in the UK through the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS). Now that the deadline to apply has passed, Settled continues to support the rights and wellbeing of EU citizens in the UK and responds to the emerging challenges that they face as a result of Brexit and with using the new digital-only immigration status.
Settled’s small staff team coordinate a national network of 100+ peer-to-peer volunteer advisers who speak more than 20 languages. Our services and volunteers are accessible throughout the UK. Settled has a caring and cheerful ethos and a proud team spirit. It is committed to reaching those who most need help.
Read more about our achievements in Settled in Action
Our Services -
Settled provides information, advice and support services to help EU citizens who have made a home in the UK. These include:
Telephone advice-lines in English, Bulgarian, French, Italian, Polish Romanian, Slovak and Spanish
Facebook online advice forums in Bulgarian, French, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovak & Czech and Spanish.
Online interactive information sessions – watch these here and follow us on Facebook for information about future sessions.
Written information, advice and leaflets on this website’s Help pages in Bulgarian, English, Hungarian, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovak and Spanish.
Answering advice questions via this website or via email.
In-person advice or community events for those most in need.
Our network of more than 120 trained volunteer advisers speak a total of 23 languages, so if you need help in a language not listed here, please contact us.
Settled also provides information updates, news and comment on social media (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn).
Settled uses anonymised evidence from its services to promote improvements in government policies and a more compassionate response from wider society.
Who We Are -
Settled has more than 120 incredible volunteers helping some of the most vulnerable EU citizens in the UK to secure their rights post-Brexit.
Our volunteers work across emails, our phone line and social media in more than 20 EU languages. They are guided by Settled’s team of hard-working staff to help fellow EU citizens who have been denied access to housing, benefits, education and employment in the UK.
Settled’s team of volunteers are spread across the country, from rural Wales and Scotland to the heart of the nation’s biggest cities. They work hard to reach into the most remote areas of the UK and engage with harder to reach communities, as well as providing vital support for those without a support network around them.
As a large, dedicated team we host in-person and online information sessions, one-to-one help clinics, a multilingual phone line offering support in ten languages and further language-based support through email and social media.
Settled offers all volunteers free training to OISC level 1 and our expert staff support them in their case work and community outreach.
Hundreds of people approach Settled for help each week, often very worried they may lose their rights. Having such a large and dedicated team of volunteers ensures we can help all those who need our support, no matter where they are or how strong their level of English.
Our Staff -
Alec Herron
Communications Manager
Tel: 07709 710634
Email: [email protected]
Cristina Tegolo
Service Coordinator
Email: [email protected]
Eva Plajerova
Service Coordinator – Wales
Email: [email protected]
Kate Smart
CEO
Email: [email protected]
Maria Llorente
Volunteer Manager
Email: [email protected]
Naqeeb Sadiq
Senior Immigration Advice Manager (North West England)
Email: [email protected]
Toni Petkova
Service Coordinator
Email: [email protected]
Andrew Jordan
Immigration Advice Manager (Scotland)
Email: [email protected]
Our Trustees -
Christopher Desira
Chris Desira is an immigration lawyer who works as Director of Seraphus and also provides advice through the organisation Free Movement. Chris is the adviser on Brexit immigration issues to the European Delegation to the UK. Chris also is an experienced business manager and is currently Settled’s treasurer.
Jen Ang – Chair of the Board of Trustees
Katia Widlak
Marcela Benedetti
Marcela is a European-Latin-American mentor, campaigner and activist specialising in gender-based violence and migrant women’s rights. Previously, she was a lawyer, a dance teacher, and worked on the frontline of domestic abuse services. Marcela believes that the way forward, in life and work, is collaboration. She has experience creating and implementing innovative safe spaces for individuals and organisations.
Martine Petetin
Martine Petetin is a retired company lawyer with experience in global organisations. She has held trustee positions for several charities before joining the board of Settled. She is currently acting as secretary to the board.
Mihai Bica
Nicolas Hatton
Pierre-Antoine Boulat
Pierre-Antoine’s international asset management and banking services career took him and his family from France to UK in 1992, then the USA, Switzerland, Luxembourg and finally back to UK in time for Brexit.
Wiard Sterk
Wiard is a Dutch citizen and has lived in Wales for close to four decades. He’s an Art Historian with a career in senior management in the creative industries, commissioning artist led public realm projects. Now semi retired, he balances a portfolio of freelance projects and voluntary board positions. Most recently he was engaged by the3millon as an advocate and worked for Settled as Information Manager. In between he occasionally sails off-shore races and spends time on his allotment, weather permitting.
Will Garford – Treasurer
Will is a qualified accountant and finance professional with experience in audit, local and international tax compliance and global mobility requirements in local and global companies and charities.
