Overview

• Nigel Farage set out proposals to abolish ILR and require five‑year renewable visas with tougher salary and English thresholds, tighter family rules, and a longer seven‑year route to citizenship.
• Reform argues the changes would save more than £230bn, but the Centre for Policy Studies says the figure should no longer be used and the party provided no detailed costings or confirmed salary threshold.
• Farage confirmed a carve‑out for EU citizens with settled status, with his policy chief saying a future government would seek talks on EU welfare rights, while Ukrainians and Hongkongers would not be exempt.
• Opponents from Labour, the Conservatives, the Liberal Democrats and civic groups condemned the plan as unworkable and risky, with health leaders warning of damage to NHS and social care staffing.
• Reform cites roughly 800,000 people becoming eligible for ILR between 2026 and 2030, yet many could attain citizenship before any election, and the party has only sketched capped shortage visas and higher employer costs.