are EU members living in the UK automatically UK residents?

[martins]

Hi all,
I'm a Polish national living and working in the UK for the last 5 years.
I registered with the Worker Registration Scheme long time ago (about 4 years ago or so). Now, according to the UK Border Agency website:
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/eucit ... ionscheme/
I'm not obliged to apply for registration certificate at all.

Once you have been working legally in the United Kingdom for 12 months without a break you will have full rights of free movement and will no longer need to register on the WRS. You can then get a registration certificate confirming your right to live and work in the United Kingdom, although you are not obliged to do so. Details on how to apply for registration certificate are on the applying page.

Is there any specific reason why one would apply for it? I don't think I'm going to apply for a British passport.

Legally, am I considered a UK resident now? The reason I'm asking is that this morning I came up with a brilliant idea of creating an online National Lottery account.. I read their terms and conditions which state that:

The criteria in paragraphs (a) - (d) below must be satisfied before playing by Direct Debit can commence:

* (a) the Online Direct Debit Applicant is a resident of the UK or Isle of Man;
* (b) the Online Direct Debit Applicant is not a Minor;
* (c) the Online Direct Debit Applicant must hold a UK or Isle of Man bank (or building society) account out of which the Direct Debit shall be made;
* (d) where debit card details have been supplied, the debit card details supplied are those of a UK or Isle of Man debit card linked to a UK or Isle of Man bank (or building society) account in respect of which the Online Direct Debit Applicant is an authorised user;

source: https://www.national-lottery.co.uk/play ... itions.ftl

In order to claim a prize one needs to be a UK resident. What is my status? Am I a UK resident? Would I be entitled to play the national-lottery and, more importantly, claim the prize?

Thank you for your time reading it.
kindest regards
Martin

[troubled]

As Polish you do not need to apply for resident permit.You are EEA national and as you said you had already registered through WRS that is all that is required from you if you want to exercise your treaty rights.You are uk resident exercising your treaty rights.You can apply for permanent resident to confirm that right.This does not mean that you will become british, if you want to become british you can do so but i do not think you need it as rightly said.

[martins]

As Polish you do not need to apply for resident permit.You are EEA national and as you said you had already registered through WRS that is all that is required from you if you want to exercise your treaty rights.You are uk resident exercising your treaty rights.You can apply for permanent resident to confirm that right.This does not mean that you will become british, if you want to become british you can do so but i do not think you need it as rightly said.

That's what I thought. Thank you for your reply.

[Ben]

I'm a Polish national living and working in the UK for the last 5 years.

Am I a UK resident?

Actually, you are a Permanent Resident.

You can apply, optionally, for a document certifying Permanent Residence using form EEA3. This can be completed online.

[martins]

Actually, you are a Permanent Resident.

Am I correct in thinking that being a Permanent Resident automatically means being a UK resident? The term 'UK Resident' is broader and encompasses (among others) permanent residents, doesn't it?

[Ben]

Actually, you are a Permanent Resident.

Am I correct in thinking that being a Permanent Resident automatically means being a UK resident? The term 'UK Resident' is broader and encompasses (among others) permanent residents, doesn't it?

Yes, quite right.