Description:
<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>In this article, we review the <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">EU</jats:styled-content>'s significance for social policies in the <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">UK</jats:styled-content>. The <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">EU</jats:styled-content> has a limited legal role or institutional capacity to <jats:italic>directly</jats:italic> regulate the social policies of its member states. This role is even more limited in the case of non‐eurozone countries. There are a handful of <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">EU</jats:styled-content> policy measures which have had effects on social policy in the <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">UK</jats:styled-content>. However, these effects have not changed the institutional arrangements for making, organising and delivering social policy, which remain firmly in the hands of <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">UK</jats:styled-content> governments. In consequence, a ‘Leave’ or ‘Remain’ result has relatively limited implications for social policy, except in the case of specific social groups: notably for <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">UK</jats:styled-content> and other <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">EU</jats:styled-content> nationals who have lived and worked in at least one other <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">EU</jats:styled-content> country. Other <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">EU</jats:styled-content> legislation and regulation is compatible with the current and historical policy preferences of <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">UK</jats:styled-content> governments and political parties.</jats:p>