Frontier Workers Case Studies Launched to Support Cross-Border Workers and Families

The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission (NIHRC), in collaboration with the Border People Project, has launched a new online resource: Frontier Workers Case Studies. The resource is designed to help frontier workers, their families and advice organisations navigate the complex landscape of rights following the UK’s exit from the European Union (EU). It contains six case studies based on common situations faced by frontier workers and their families, explaining how cross-border social security, healthcare and benefit entitlements operate in practice.

Frontier workers, who live in one country and work in another while returning home regularly, have an important role in many cross-border communities, including in Northern Ireland. Prior to the UK’s exit from the EU, the rights of frontier workers were underpinned by EU law, alongside domestic legal frameworks and bespoke UK-Ireland arrangements. Changes to the UK's relationship with the EU have created a more complex regulatory environment, making it increasingly important that frontier workers have access to clear, practical information about their rights and the safeguards available to them.

To help address these challenges, the Frontier Workers Case Studies booklet was written by Dr Sylvia de Mars (Newcastle University), with assistance from advisers at North Connacht & Ulster Citizens Information Service and Community Advice Newry, Mourne and Down. It builds on the independent research report, Frontier Workers and their Families: Rights After Brexit, translating detailed legal analysis into practical case studies and guidance. 

The resource also includes template appeal letters to support advisers and individuals challenging decisions relating to benefits and entitlements. The research explores human rights protections under Article 2 of the Windsor Framework, which provides safeguards to ensure that certain equality and human rights protections in Northern Ireland are not diminished as a result of Brexit.

Speaking about the booklet, Alyson Kilpatrick, Chief Commissioner of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, said:

“Frontier workers make an invaluable contribution to our society and to the economic and social life of communities across the island of Ireland. It is essential that they are aware of their rights and know where to turn for support when navigating complex cross-border situations. 

We are pleased to have collaborated with the Border People project and grateful to Dr de Mars for her work in producing this resource. We hope it will help bridge the gap between academic work and lived experience by providing practical support to frontier workers and the organisations that assist them, while also contributing to a greater understanding of the issues they face.”

Annmarie O’Kane, Assistant Director at the Border People Project, emphasised the importance of the collaboration in bringing together a wide range of experiences and ensuring that the realities of cross-border living are reflected in the case studies:

“The Border People project is delighted to collaborate with the NIHRC on these case studies. They are highly representative of the issues that have been presented to the project over many years and, unfortunately, reflect the lived experiences of many people with cross-border lives. We hope the case studies will be a valuable resource for individuals and a practical guide for advice sector organisations as they support people facing cross-border challenges.”

Read the booklet and additional resources here.

Read the Frontier Workers and their Families: Rights after Brexit research here.

ENDS

About the Commission’s role after Brexit
Since 1 January 2021, both the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission and the Equality Commission have had duties and powers to monitor, supervise, advise, enforce, and report on the UK Government’s commitment in Article 2 of the Windsor Framework.

Report’s author: 
Dr de Mars joined Newcastle University’s Law School in 2010, following the completion of a PhD in EU public procurement law at the University of Nottingham. Her research interests cover a variety of aspects of EU internal market law, with recent focuses on social security coordination and healthcare, and on comparative public law, as well as on Brexit and its impact on Northern Ireland and trade between the UK and the EU.