No Benefits for Foreigners Under Reform, Says Nigel Farage: Stricter Visa Tests and Deportation for Those Who Fail Under Crackdown on ‘Settled Status’ Migrants
Nigel Farage today vowed to block foreign nationals from getting benefits, slashing the welfare bill “by £234 billion”, and to deport hundreds of thousands of migrants with ‘settled status’ by bringing in stricter visa tests and cancelling their ‘indefinite leave to remain’. The Mail has more.
The Reform leader condemned legal permanent settlement for foreign nationals as a “scam”, warning it is a “fiscal timebomb” which could bankrupt the country.
Indefinite leave to remain (ILR) allows those who have lived here for more than five years to receive benefits and apply for citizenship.
Reform estimates 3.8 million migrants who arrived after the pandemic will be eligible for ILR between 2026 and 2030, claiming many are either destined for a life on benefits or are low-skilled workers who will bring in dependants to join them.
Mr Farage suggested ending the status will save £234 billion over their lifetimes. Speaking at a press conference in Westminster this morning, the MP said people needed to focus on legal migration as well as illegal migration.
“Under a Reform government welfare will be for UK citizens only. Not foreign nationals,” he said. …
Under Mr Farage’s plan, no new ILR awards would be made and migrants already allowed to live here under ILR – so-called settled status – would have it rescinded.
Mr Farage proposes that migrants living here would instead have to apply for a five-year renewable visa with stricter criteria, such as proving they can speak English and can earn a high salary, and would face restrictions on how many dependants could join them.
Those rejected would lose state benefits and be expected to leave voluntarily or face removal under the party’s tough plan for tackling illegal migration, known as Operation Restoring Justice.
Reform’s policy document states that the changes “will be done on a staggered and orderly basis to allow businesses to train British workers to replace them”. Reform said it is giving notice that “the era of cheap foreign labour is over”.
The qualifying period for citizenship – which is currently one year after being granted ‘settled status’ – would also be extended to seven years to prevent it being given “cheaply”.
Mr Farage said: “The Tories and Labour have turned the UK into a foodbank for the world.”
How many ‘Boriswave’ migrants will already have citizenship by the time Reform is in power anyway? Might be a small flaw in the plan…
Worth reading in full.
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Settled status is a special term which was invented for EU citizens who had moved to Britain trusting the fake promises of the British state about British immigration law. Why am I not suprised that Farage wants to go back to declaring them illegal immigrants all over again? After all, unlike his Muslim friends, they don’t have a right to vote. They’re just required to pay taxes.
770,000 EU citizens claim Universal Credit or other out of work benefits. I think its quite valid to ask questions about why they are here, and why we are providing financial support to them.
Reform are clearly exploring lots of policy ideas, and are maturing and showing greater confidence. These are good things imo.
There’s a simple answer to that: They moved to Britain based on trusting the fake promises of the home office that they’d have a right to do if they were able to provide for themselves (they’re not entitled to any benefits) and that they would gain a right of permanent residence after ten years of living legally (without any access to benefits) in the UK. This means at minimum these 770,000 EU citizens¹ have each payed full British income tax plus all other British taxes for ten years, many of the probably for a significantly longer time. How about the following deal? We get all our taxes back and won’t ever have to pay any taxes in future and in return for that, we accept that we also don’t have rights to anything paid out by the British state. I’d gladly accept such a deal. After all, I don’t exactly need to finance British pensioners, British heroin addicts or illegal immigrants who get showered with benefits the moment they turn up. ¹ Considering that there are only about 3 million EU citizens in Britain, the 770,000 was probably faked by another guy who think he’s entitled to our money for… Read more »
In answer to your first point, I invoke the protocol of ‘Boo-Hoo’
In answer to your second point, we are not in the EU, and so the point is moot.
770,000 came from Chat GPT, and it therefore liable to the normal checks and balances. I have seen figures similar to this from the ONS, and so maybe it is not outrageous.
770,000 claiming now? Or at some point? For what duration?
When you say you’ve used ChatGPT, I instantly ignore your comment. Boo hoo.
I have had to observe (and then straighten out) a great deal of confusion arising from the complete twaddle spewed by “AI”.
I would have thought most readers’ reaction would have been to cheer this policy announcement and patiently await details nearer the election. Most people would not have quibbled over the numbers not least because the government is so reluctant to provide them and what is published usually turns out to have been wrong.
Does it really matter if the number is those now getting benefits or those who have at some time done so. Does it matter if the real number is 770k, half or double that as it is unacceptable.
When we were in the EU any citizen of a member state aged above our state retirement age could come here, spend six months in the country and claim OAP. They had never paid in a penny.
After the funds started to flow they could return home to (say) Bulgaria and operate their UK bank account remotely.
Do these rules still apply and how many recipients are stealing from us now.
Thanks for that shocking information— I did not know that!
I only knew that all the Commonwealth lot, especially from the Indian Subcontinent, were allowed to claim full state pensions here without paying in a penny, just because they came to join their relatives here for a few months.
One Indian woman boasted that, from the proceeds from her UK welfare benefits and state pension, she had already built a mansion for herself in India, with staff to take care of it, which she visited a few times a year. She had never worked in the UK, but been supported by her wealthy son while here. That didn’t stop her from getting Winter Fuel Allowance, Fake Disability Allowance, as well as free medical and dental treatment, along with her state pension.
I have no idea what you’re talking about. I’ve you told how EU nationals in Britain might gain access to benefits, namely, by being legal, tax-paying residents for a prolonged period of time, at least 10 years. That British promises are to be taken with a grain of salt of about the size of the Himalya isn’t news anymore. Take pride in that if you like.
I didn’t realise settled status residents didn’t have access to benefits.
That seems at odds with the statement about Universal Credit. Perhaps it only gets given to people if they are already in work so it doesn’t count as a benefit (it’s more like a way to subsidise cheap labour for employers).
Does that include the old age pension? You are probably too young to care. Asking for a friend.
FWIW I am not overly keen on removing things already granted to people who have complied with the terms of that grant. I’d be more interested in getting rid of all the illegals, stopping any more (legal and illegal) coming here and looking at cutting the overall welfare bill including the large amounts paid to natives who apparently are incapable of working.
Once they’ve gained a permanent right of residence aka “settled status”, they do (as far as I know). But they need to have been legally resident and self-supporting for at least the minimum time required for that. There is/was no such thing as “EU benefits tourism.”
Ah ok. I think settled status was/is 5 years, anything less is pre-settled. FWIW while I don’t want the country filled up with Europeans, I feel generally more positively disposed to European immigration on the basis that you are our racial and cultural close relatives and therefore more like to fit in. But then I am a racist ethnonationalist.
I think you’re right and I was wrong. It was 5 years and not 10 years.
Yes indeed
It might be 10 if someone had just arrived and had to go through pre settled then settled
People from EU member states working in the UK were entitled to claim benefits for their families even if they chose to remain in their home country. I asked my MP to obtain the figure for the sum being sent abroad for this purpose and it was several million pounds. I think the Brexit deal made this arrangement indefinite until the EU worker returned home. I believe some of these payments are still being sent abroad.
It is normal to pay the taxes of the country in which one resides. They are meant to run the country and are not a personal savings pot. There is no connection between tax liability, citizenship and enfranchisement.
If the state has breached a written agreement it should be actionable. If there was no contract then there is no cause for complaint. No one in their right mind believes a politician. I personally think Reeves is wrong to have moved the goalposts regarding pensions, but unfortunately it is probably legal to do so.
Specifically, child benefit, as far as I know, but only after having been living legally in the country for long enough to have gained a permanent right to reside. At least insofar the current rule reflect the rules back then in this respect. What you believe to be ‘normal’ about taxation is completely irrelevant. Relevant is what applicable law states and applicable law does state that people acquire certain rights after having been tax paying residents for a certain amount of time. That’s a fair deal because it means that people who contribute to “running the country” can also count on its support in times of unforeseen hardship. Your “robber baron” idea of taxation — you get to take it because you can and the people whose money you take are entitled to say “Thank you!” and shut up, is not a fair deal. In my opinion, applicable law is a written agreement and it’s improper to change laws with retroactive effect such that people, through no fault of their own, suddenly find themselves at odds with the changed law. Had I known about the Brexel-circus in October or even November 2010, I would never have moved here. By the… Read more »
Since the UK had a two year notice period to quit the EU and the written treaty was not for all time (like Scotland), anyone who made firm plans should have borne in mind that there was no solid foundation to them.
You overestimate what’s usually known about the domestic affairs of one country in another. By that time, I went to the home office web site as this seemed relevant and informed myself about applicable laws. I didn’t learn that anybody in the UK was actually considering to leave the EU, let alone what kind of hot topic this actually was, until some time after I learnt about Cameron’s planned referendum.
I had (and have) – frankly – other things to do with my life than familiarize myself with every detail of the EU agreements. In hindsight, this was a bit naive, but that’s in hindsight.
I moved to France late 2001 and stayed 20 years.
The EU regulations for citizens moving from other EU States is briefly, you are free to stay for up to 90 days but you cannot benefit from any State scheme such as welfare or healthcare.
If you intend to stay permanently, you must show you have been in the Country for 90 days and established your primary home there AND you have sufficient means – a permanent job, or other income – so as not to be a burden on the State. (Une résidence permanente et régulière.)
Otherwise you cannot join the State schemes and can be asked to leave.
I understand other Member States are just as strict, even stricter in some cases. It seems only the UK was a soft touch, and explains why so many people during the Brexit debate did not understand there were rules and conditions involved, and moving to another State wasn’t just like moving from Kent to Yorkshire – there is no absolute “Right” to go and live wherever you please in the EU – you need permission.
I move to Italy. I have to provide the following evidence of 30k per annum, from an ongoing pension etc. I have to have private medical insurance, I have to prove i own a home there or have a long term rental agreement. this all as a minimum besides other things. I am not entitled to any state benefits.
Why is it that this country, allows anyone with nothing to enter, get housing, benefits, health care, education from day 1 when they have contributed zilch.
Where the heck did it all go wrong?
I hope Farage does it, as I am sure do the vast majority of tax payers outside Westminster and the London dinner party set.
How many ‘Boriswave’ migrants will already have citizenship by the time Reform is in power anyway? Might be a small flaw in the plan…
Watch labour expedite things and get many more to Citizen status before Reform could get in!
Plus all the ECHR Human Rights and other challenges from the Far Left.
In view of the comment below about if you pay tax you should be allowed state benefits – do you pay any tax in Italy?
When he’s eventually PM can Farage unrecognise the pretend Palestinian state? I don’t even know if that’s possible. The jihadi spawning ground of Mordor now has its own Embassy and everything. This clip is depressing as, to me, it symbolizes treason and surrender all rolled into one;
”A raising the flag ceremony has been carried out at what is now the Palestinian Embassy in London after the UK yesterday decided to reward Hamas for the October 7th Massacre by recognizing a Palestinian state.”
https://x.com/visegrad24/status/1970101672455077920
“Under a Reform government welfare will be for UK citizens only. Not foreign nationals,” he said. …
I hope, instead of “citizens” he meant “tax residents”. I for one would not want to block welfare from people who contribute financially, wherever they come from.
Completely agree
If they pay tax why would they need benefits. If their earnings are so low they qualify for hand outs why are they here at all
Farage very likely doesn’t even really mean “foreign nationals”. He needs a group of people he can kick to play tough and one where is key audience will likely applaud this. Considering that just about everyone on his planet (read: all citizens from Commonwealth Countries legally in the UK, including those on temporary leave to remain) has full voting rights here except EU citizens, they’re the natural target.
We are told Britain doesn’t have an empire anymore, so the country ought to behave like it didn’t have one.
Yet we keep being more generous to foreigners than we do to our own people.
It boils down to this for me:
I don’t care where you come from, so long as you have the means or skills to financially support yourself and any dependants independently, and that you agree to adapt to British values and integrate – no exclaves. You can of course have freedom of religion, but no voting/standing for election below 10 years’ residency and zero entitlement to state benefits, including housing, and no free medical care unless you are paying NI.
If you don’t like any of that, we have a number of means by which you may leave.
And if you are convicted of any criminal offence, off you pop with no recourse.
My American wife has been here for around a decade and has permanant leave to remain, we didn’t bother with citizenship as all you could do with it was have your fake vote in the UNIparty elections and it cost another £3-4K, on top of the 10K we had already spent on Visas to get her to that point.
Will they drop the price to apply for citizenship, or have any weighting for source of origin I wonder?
I hope somebody from Reform issues a stinging put down to the criticism from the call-handler mascarading as our Chancellor along the lines of not needing advice from somebody who has creaed a massive black hole in the public finances through her incompetence.
Mr Farage is getting bolder now Reform UK’s support is holding and growing. I expect feedback from supporters shows they want more then just stop the boats, send the illegals back.
And Tommy Robinson circa 1 million rally most likely informed Mr F there is widespread public demand for radical change to immigration.
This sounds fantastic, but why did Nigel kick Rupert Lowe out of Reform for saying the same things?
The whole idea that Non-Citizens of any country should be given welfare benefits just like citizens is utterly insane, and should be abolished by every nation in the world.
My wife of 14 years is Japanese, here on ILTR. I thought when she came here she was told she couldn’t claim any benefits, the only thing she’s had from the state is NHS treatment. I had to provide a ton of evidence that I could financially support her.
Although I approve of this in principle it’s me who’ll pick up the bill, and it was exactly cheap to bring her to the UK in the first place. Japan doesn’t allow dual nationality so she could only become a British citizen by giving up her Japanese nationality, which she is reluctant to do; I’d be reluctant if the boot was on the other foot.
Not expecting sympathy, but there’ll be some collateral damage if these changes occur as they appear.
The US is in principle the same, though they don’t actually in practice enforce the dual nationality control, perhaps Japan is similar as their administration is quite closely alligned with the US.
In other words, Farage has just realised that Tommy Robinson is far more popular than he is