Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has announced plans to scrap indefinite leave to remain (ILR), the main route for non-citizens to gain British citizenship, potentially placing hundreds of thousands of legal residents at risk of deportation unless they meet strict new visa requirements.
Speaking at a press conference, Farage said 800,000 people, whom he described as 'young and low-skilled', are due to qualify for ILR over the next three to four years. He claimed they would be 'a huge burden on the state' and that Britain is 'not the world's food bank'. Under his proposals, all existing ILR holders would have their status revoked and must reapply for visas with high salary thresholds, reportedly around £60,000, and no access to NHS services or benefits.
The policy has drawn sharp criticism from Downing Street, which accused Farage of wanting to 'foster division', and from London Mayor Sadiq Khan. Farage claimed the plan would save £234bn, citing a Centre for Policy Studies report that has since been withdrawn due to a dispute over the figures. When challenged, Farage insisted the figure was 'too low'.
Farage's policy chief, Zia Yusuf, clarified that EU citizens with settled status would be exempt, but said negotiations with the EU over welfare access for other EU nationals would be opened. Farage refused to say whether the policy would apply to refugees from Ukraine and Hong Kong who arrived under dedicated visa schemes.
Farage also claimed, without providing evidence, that more than 50% of those due for ILR are not working and are unlikely to ever work. The proposals would require advanced English language skills and impose strict limits on family members joining visa holders.
