Could Britain bring back freedom of movement with the EU? What we know

Prime minister Andy Burnham has called for an “honest discussion” about how Brexit has changed migration, prompting speculation that Britain could seek to restore freedom of movement with the EU. He denies planning to propose such a deal at an upcoming summit, and Labour’s Brexit commitments mean any move would likely wait until after the next general election.

A return would restore reciprocal rights for UK and EU citizens to live, work and study across each other’s territories, while Britain would probably remain outside the Schengen area. It would also bring back access to EHIC healthcare arrangements and pension coordination; stays over three months would still require people to meet conditions such as working, studying or being financially self-sufficient. Net migration reached 944,000 in the year to March 2023, then fell to about 171,000 after visa restrictions were tightened in 2024 and 2025.