However speaking to The Times Jeremy Morgan, from pressure group British in Italy, said many Italian officials are unaware of what rights British residents are supposed to have.

He said: “We are often treated like third-country migrants from outside the EU and are asked for the number of the permesso di soggiorno document [residency permit] which those immigrants have.

“The problem is that we did not need to have that document when the UK was in the EU and now we can’t get it because of the withdrawal agreement.

“People have been stopped by police who demand to see their permesso di soggiorno, which they don’t have.