THERESA May has told the three million EU citizens living in the UK to expect a reduction in their rights and freedoms after Brexit.

In a policy paper released yesterday, the Government said any European granted “settled status” to remain in the UK will be barred from voting in local elections, possibly forced to an carry ID card, and could be stopped from bringing family into the country to live after Brexit, unless they’re earning at least £18,600.

The policy paper also reveals that EU nationals who have already applied for permanent residency will have to apply again, albeit in a much more “slimline” process.

They will also lose the protection of the European Court of Justice, which will no longer have jurisdiction over citizens’ rights in the UK.

The European Parliament’s Brexit co-ordinator Guy Verhofstadt was downbeat about May’s proposals, saying: “A number of limitations remain worrisome and will have to be carefully assessed.”

The SNP’s Stewart MacDonald called it a “clear diminution of EU citizens’ rights”.

May’s offer, the outline of which was announced to European leaders last Thursday, will provide guarantees on UK pensions including on uprating and aggregated rights paid out abroad and the ability of settled EU nationals to access social security benefits. There are though a number of questions over areas including professional qualifications and the rights of the self-employed, which the Government says it cannot answer until they agree a deal with Brussels.

Any EU citizen who has been living in the UK continuously for five years can apply for settled status.

Those who have been resident for less than five years will also be allowed to stay and then apply for settled status after five years.

Dependent family members – spouses, children and parents – will be allowed to join an EU national in the UK up until Brexit and will be able to apply once they have been in the country for five years. However, after Brexit, the “settled” status EU citizens will have to prove they can support themselves and have no need to depend on welfare before bringing family in.

May told the Commons the package offered certainty, but was entirely dependent on Brussels agreeing.

“That agreement must be reciprocal because we must protect the rights of UK citizens living in EU member states too,” she said.

SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford said May’s statement raised “many more questions than it does answers”.

He asked the Prime Minister to confirm that “EU residents in Scotland will not have to fill out the 85-page paper form for residency”

May said the Home Office was working to introduce a “streamlined, approach so people will not have to apply on an 85-page paper such as the honourable gentleman has asked”.

Jeremy Corbyn called it “too little, too late” and said it was proof the Government would use people as bargaining chips over Brexit.

The Labour leader said guarantees for EU nationals in Britain should have been made directly after the vote to leave the European Union a year ago rather than waiting until “complex and delicate” trade negotiations began.

Corbyn said: “The Prime Minister went to Brussels last week to make what she described as a generous offer to EU nationals in this country.

The truth is it is too little, too late. That could have been done and should have been done a year ago when Labour put that very proposal to the House of Commons.

“By making an offer only after the negotiations have begun, the Prime Minister has dragged the issue of EU citizens and families deep into the complex and delicate negotiations of our future trade relations with the European Union, which she herself has been willing to say may result in failure.

“This isn’t a generous offer. This is confirmation the Government is prepared to use people as bargaining chips.”

The European Union’s chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, said Brussels’ goal was for citizens to enjoy the same level of protection as under EU law, and May’s plans fell short. “More ambition, clarity and guarantees needed than in today’s UK position,” he tweeted.

Scotland’s Brexit Minister Mike Russell said: “It is intolerable that it has taken a year for the UK Government to bring forward proposals to safeguard the rights of EU citizens, who have been left in a huge amount of uncertainty about their future rights and status.

“Human beings should not be used as bargaining chips in inter- governmental negotiations. Freedom of movement works well for Scotland and the contribution EU citizens make to our economy and society, including work in vital public services, should not be underestimated.

“While it is an important step forward that the UK Government has finally agreed the broad principles of a deal on citizens’ rights, we will continue to scrutinise the detail of the proposals.”