Most of this blog tells Europeans what the UK now demands of them. For one group, the answer is nearly "nothing". Irish citizens live under a separate arrangement that predates both the EU and Brexit: the Common Travel Area, in force between Ireland and the UK for about a century. When free movement ended, it was the thing that kept Dublin and Manchester as close as Cork and Limerick.
Here is how it works for Irish citizens moving to the UK, and the limits that still apply.
What is the Common Travel Area for Irish citizens moving to the UK?
The Common Travel Area, or CTA, is an arrangement between the UK, Ireland, Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. GOV.UK describes its core: Irish citizens can enter, live and remain in the UK without a visa or residence permit. They cannot apply under the points-based system, because they do not need to. Reciprocal rights cover work, study, healthcare, social security and voting.
This makes Ireland unlike the rest of the EU. A Spaniard needs a visa or status; an Irish citizen needs a passport. It is not a favour of the moment, since the CTA continues independent of EU law.
The rights belong to the citizen. That is the main limit: a non-Irish partner, parent or child does not get them automatically.
Can Irish citizens work in the UK without permission?
Yes. GOV.UK says that British and Irish citizens can work in either country, including on a self-employed basis, without needing any permission from the authorities. Employers still have to check your right to work, and for Irish citizens that means an Irish passport or passport card, which can even be expired. There is no share code to generate, since you have no eVisa.
You apply for a National Insurance number online with your passport or ID card as any other newcomer; see National Insurance number: how to apply. Professional recognition is covered too: the UK government supports recognition of Irish qualifications, but regulated professions each follow their own body's process, so check with the regulator. See working in the UK after Brexit for pay, contracts and leave.
For a business, Irish citizens can create a company or work as a sole trader without a visa. The company itself does not give anyone else a right to stay.
Moving from Ireland and unsure which documents you still need, or whether a family member can join you? Moovy can list the steps for your situation, check what changes in each nation and help you draft a message to a landlord or employer. Moovy does not decide immigration status, so for a partner or children, check the official pages or an adviser.
What about healthcare, benefits and voting?
For healthcare, GOV.UK says that Irish citizens have the right to access healthcare in the UK. In practice, you register with a GP like any resident, you have no visa and so you do not pay the Immigration Health Surcharge; see healthcare in the UK for expats. Some planned or cross-border care may be funded by the state you live in.
For social security, the CTA gives access to social security entitlements, including pensions, from the system you fall under, with the same rights as a citizen of that state.
For voting, Irish citizens living in the UK can register for local elections in all four nations and for general elections, once on the register. That is a notable difference from other EU citizens, whose rights depend on their status and the nation; see the EU Settlement Scheme guide.
For study, you have the right to access all levels of education on terms no less favourable than local citizens, and students in further or higher education can qualify for student support.
How do you rent a home and prove your status?
In England, landlords must run a right to rent check on every adult; an Irish citizen shows an Irish passport. It is the same document, so there is no waiting for an eVisa. In Scotland there is no such check. See renting in the UK for deposits and the English reforms of 2026.
A bank will ask for the usual identity and address; your passport proves your right to be in the UK. See bank account in the UK.
What should Irish citizens moving to the UK still organise?
Before the limits, the checklist. Irish citizens moving to the UK still need a place to live, an NI number, a GP, a bank account and a council tax registration, just like everyone else. Then the limits. First, the CTA is not absolute: authorities can still issue deportation orders, exclusion decisions or travel bans. Second, family: a non-Irish partner or child needs their own status. GOV.UK says that Irish citizens do not need the EU Settlement Scheme, though they may apply; for a non-Irish relative, the scheme or a family visa may be needed.
Third, a non-Irish EU citizen travelling from Ireland is not covered. GOV.UK's guidance says that if you are not British or Irish and travel to the UK from Ireland, you need to check whether you need a UK visa. Do not assume that an open border means open rules.
Fourth, travel documents: Irish citizens can use an Irish passport card to travel to the UK, but different document requirements apply depending on where you come from.
How do you move your life across the Irish Sea?
Practicalities matter more than law for you. Think about your home country's records: tell your tax office and social welfare office that you are leaving, and ask how your contributions in Ireland count for a future pension. Check the DVLA rules for your driving licence, and keep your bank in Ireland open while you set up a British one.
Plan for the cost differences. Prices, wages and rents are different between the two countries, and the euro-sterling rate moves your savings. The health systems differ too, so find out how to register with a GP and which services carry a charge, such as dental care, eye tests and, in England, prescriptions. Check the nation you plan to live in, since Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland handle schools, housing and some benefits differently. Our guide to best places to live in the UK helps you compare cities before you choose.
If you are worried that the Brexit headlines applied to you, they did not: your rights come from the Common Travel Area and not from EU membership. Even so, check the GOV.UK guidance before major steps. If you hold dual nationality, keep both passports valid. The Irish one proves your right to work and rent in the UK, and the other may serve for travel elsewhere.
What changes in Northern Ireland?
Northern Ireland has its own systems on housing, schools, health administration and driving, even though immigration rules are UK-wide. Rents are protected differently (a one-month deposit cap and a ban on increases within 12 months), you pay domestic rates, not council tax, and licences come from the DVA. See living in Scotland vs England for the wider picture of devolution.
Which mistakes should you avoid?
- Assuming the CTA covers your partner. It does not.
- Skipping the paperwork that still applies. You need an NI number, a GP, a bank and council tax like anyone else.
- Forgetting your tax position. The UK and Ireland have a tax treaty, so ask HMRC or a tax adviser how it applies to you.
- Keeping an expired passport. It may satisfy an employer, but travel needs a valid one.
Whatever you arrange, keep copies of every confirmation and note the date of each call: this paper trail is your best protection if a record is wrong, whether it is held by a council, an employer or a bank.