Reform UK has unveiled plans to restrict welfare benefits to British citizens, arguing that the system must prioritise British taxpayers and those who genuinely need support.
Reform Shadow Chancellor Robert Jenrick and Deputy Leader Richard Tice announced the new policy - Making Welfare Work - at a press conference in London this morning. Jenrick said that a Reform government would begin by “ending the foreign welfare rip-off”.
“Only British citizens will be entitled to benefits”, he said, with limited exceptions including Armed Forces service and contributory state pensions for people who have “paid their way”.
“The line will be clear”, Jenrick said. “The welfare state is there for Britain. No British citizenship. No entitlement. That’s fair.”
Jenrick said one in six Universal Credit claimants was not a British or Irish citizen and claimed £55 billion had gone to foreign nationals over the past four years.
“The British taxpayer is acting as the welfare state for the world”, he said. “That’s unfair. We all know it.”
Reform UK estimates that restricting access to benefits in this way would save taxpayers £21 billion a year by 2029, equivalent to around £700 per household.
Tice said the changes were necessary to protect support for British people who need it.
“Is it fair that overseas nationals come to the UK, don’t work and ultimately cost the British taxpayer a lot of money,” he asked, while putting at risk the country’s ability to “protect and support our own”?
“I think most people would reasonably say, actually, that’s not fair”, Tice said.
He added that Reform UK would “protect our pensioners, protect the triple lock” and ensure the welfare system continued to support “those in need of that help”.
Jenrick said the savings from restricting foreign access to welfare would be “money that belongs to the British people, whether for public services or tax cuts”.
Reform Shadow Chancellor Robert Jenrick and Deputy Leader Richard Tice announced the new policy - Making Welfare Work - at a press conference in London this morning. Jenrick said that a Reform government would begin by “ending the foreign welfare rip-off”.
“Only British citizens will be entitled to benefits”, he said, with limited exceptions including Armed Forces service and contributory state pensions for people who have “paid their way”.
“The line will be clear”, Jenrick said. “The welfare state is there for Britain. No British citizenship. No entitlement. That’s fair.”
Jenrick said one in six Universal Credit claimants was not a British or Irish citizen and claimed £55 billion had gone to foreign nationals over the past four years.
“The British taxpayer is acting as the welfare state for the world”, he said. “That’s unfair. We all know it.”
Reform UK estimates that restricting access to benefits in this way would save taxpayers £21 billion a year by 2029, equivalent to around £700 per household.
Tice said the changes were necessary to protect support for British people who need it.
“Is it fair that overseas nationals come to the UK, don’t work and ultimately cost the British taxpayer a lot of money,” he asked, while putting at risk the country’s ability to “protect and support our own”?
“I think most people would reasonably say, actually, that’s not fair”, Tice said.
He added that Reform UK would “protect our pensioners, protect the triple lock” and ensure the welfare system continued to support “those in need of that help”.
Jenrick said the savings from restricting foreign access to welfare would be “money that belongs to the British people, whether for public services or tax cuts”.
Watch the full press conference here.
