Nigel Farage has caused a stir today with a bold announcement on migration and benefits in the UK.
Speaking in Westminster, the Reform party leader vowed to block foreign nationals from receiving state benefits and proposed revoking “settled status” from hundreds of thousands of migrants currently living in the country legally.
Farage described indefinite leave to remain (ILR)—the status allowing long-term residents to access benefits and apply for citizenship—as a “scam” and a “fiscal timebomb” that could strain the UK’s finances.
Targeting Legal Migration
Under Farage’s plan, no new ILR awards would be granted, and those who already have settled status would need to switch to a new five-year renewable visa.
These visas would come with stricter requirements, such as proving English language proficiency, earning a higher salary, and facing limits on how many dependants could join them.
Those who fail to meet the criteria would lose access to benefits and could be expected to leave voluntarily or face removal under the party’s broader immigration enforcement initiative, known as Operation Restoring Justice.
Fiscal Claims and Controversy
Farage claimed that ending ILR would save the country £234 billion over the lifetimes of migrants, citing estimates from the Centre for Policy Studies.
However, the think tank has since withdrawn this figure, and experts have questioned the accuracy of such claims.
Critics also warned about potential impacts on essential services like the NHS, where many lower-paid migrant workers are employed.
Focus on Skilled Migration
The Reform party plans to introduce a new “skill shortage” visa category subject to annual caps.
Employers would be required to pay levies to fund training programs for British workers to replace migrant labor in the long term.
Farage declared, “The era of cheap foreign labor is over,” and insisted that welfare should be reserved for UK citizens.
Farage Criticizes Political Parties
Farage didn’t hold back in his criticism of previous governments.
He said both Conservatives and Labour have turned the UK into “a foodbank for the world” and pointed to the surge in legal immigration after Brexit as a broken promise to voters.
He argued that low-skilled migrants on low wages, bringing dependants, contribute to a growing benefits bill that voters never intended.
Opposition Voices Concern
The announcement immediately drew sharp criticism from London Mayor Sadiq Khan, who emphasized that thousands of Londoners with ILR are legal residents, contributing to the city as friends, neighbors, and colleagues.
Khan called any threats of deportation “unacceptable.”
The CPS also issued a statement clarifying that the fiscal figures cited by Farage were outdated and should no longer be used, while stressing that their visa data and projections remain unchanged.
Farage’s Next Steps
Reform’s policy document insists that the changes would be implemented gradually, giving businesses time to train British workers to fill roles previously held by migrants.
The proposed measures also include extending the qualifying period for citizenship, making it more difficult to achieve settled status quickly.
Farage’s plan has reignited debates over immigration, benefits, and the future of labor in the UK, highlighting a contentious clash between political rhetoric and practical policy implications.