Irish citizens will continue to have the right to enter and remain in the UK in the event of a no-deal Brexit, the British government has said.

British authorities have today published a series of documents outlining what would happen if the UK crashes out of the EU without a deal next March.

The documents state that while a no-deal scenario remains 'unlikely', contingency plans have been accelerated as Brexit day approaches.

On the subject of the Common Travel Area (CTA) between the UK and Ireland, Irish citizens will 'not be required to do anything' to protect their status.

Irish people in the UK - and vice versa - will be able to work, study, vote in certain elections and access social welfare benefits / health services as normal.

The British government said: "The CTA holds special importance to people in their daily lives: it goes to the heart of the relationship between these islands.

"The UK government is firmly committed to maintaining the CTA arrangements after the UK leaves the EU."

It adds that the CTA arrangement has 'proven to be resilient' and will continue to do so in the event of no deal.

The new documents also cover broadcasting plans, with Theresa May's government saying: "In any scenario the UK is committed to ensuring continued licence-free reception for TG4, RTÉ1 and RTÉ2 to reflect and build-on the commitments in the Good Friday agreement."

EU travel

British citizens are being warned of more noteworthy consequences when travelling to other EU countries if no agreement is reached.

People from the UK and its territories will be considered 'third country nationals' when travelling to the EU, meaning they'll need passports issued within ten years of their travel date.

British driving licences 'may no longer be valid by itself', meaning British drivers may require an international licence when driving in EU countries.

Anyone living in an EU country, meanwhile, may not be able to exchange their British licence as they can now.

Current EU roaming limits 'could no longer be guaranteed' for British citizens after Brexit, although may continue depending on mobile networks' own 'commercial arrangements'.

The UK also says its new 'blue passports' will be issued from late 2019.

The traditional burgundy passports issued from Brexit until the new design's introduction will drop the 'European Union' branding.

Business owners, meanwhile, are being told there will be 'immediate changes to the way UK businesses trade with the EU' - including new customs, excise and VAT rules.

Earlier, the UK warned that it will not pay its Brexit ‘divorce bill’ if it crashes out of the EU with no deal.

The €44bn payment will cover EU programmes the UK had already agreed to fund before the referendum to leave the bloc.