Re: There are more levels than that
Part of the problem for long term EU residents in the UK is documentation, and I can easily imagine how.
When I arrived in the UK in 92' all I had to do was to show my passport - company sorted NI and tax number, and for the first couple of years I did not have a utility bill in my name. As long as I did not own a house, no-one official were interested in where I lived. Thus, there was no official proof (other than NI payments) that I was there.
Most other countries (I am in my 5th European country now) require you to register with authorities, and one of the benefits is that there is no discussion whether you were resident or not. Utility bills are only used between you and the utility.
We (my wife and I) both felt extremely welcome in the UK, in my 5 years I met one person who grumbled about foreigners and jobs, mnmnn. But I do have the impression the atmosphere has changed and by now we do not regret we left.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
