Reform UK pushes sweeping immigration overhaul, including end to indefinite leave to remain

LONDON — Nigel Farage's Reform UK party unveiled a sweeping set of immigration proposals, arguing that current policies have allowed large numbers of foreign nationals to live in Britain at taxpayers' expense. In a Daily Mail opinion article published Sept. 21, 2025, Farage says 3.8 million migrants entered Britain between January 2021 and June 2024, and he assigns responsibility to both the Conservative and Labour governments for welcoming them.

The centerpiece is the abolition of indefinite leave to remain, which currently grants migrants the right to live, work and study permanently with access to welfare and health care. Reform would rescind ILR statuses already granted and introduce a new five-year visa that is renewable. Migrants would be barred from benefits or health care without insurance, and would not have the right to bring dependants unless they are high earners who can afford them. The plan would extend the path to citizenship from five to seven years, requiring longer commitment to the country.

Farage warns that, under the status quo, those 3.8 million migrants could become eligible for ILR beginning January 2026 unless policy changes are enacted. Under Reform, welfare would be reserved for UK citizens only, with no foreign nationals entitled to benefits. The party projects cost savings of at least £234 billion over the lifetime of the migrants affected, a figure it argues would exceed four times the defense budget and double current education spending. Reform says the changes would signal the end of an era of cheap foreign labor and a devalued British passport, and would seek to restore what it calls the United Kingdom’s status as the world’s best passport.

The plan also calls for leaving the European Convention on Human Rights and repealing Tony Blair’s Human Rights Act, which Reform argues would close legal loopholes that allow activist judges and lawyers to intervene in migration matters. Officials note that these proposals would apply to those who would otherwise qualify for ILR starting in January 2026, creating a potential reset for many residents. Reform says the policy framework would be a priority for any future government and that it represents a broader shift in how the country construes migration and welfare policy.

Observers caution that the proposals constitute a party platform and would require legislation and broad political support to become law. They also note that the plan reflects a single-party stance in a complex policy arena and would face opposition from opponents who argue that it challenges international commitments and decades of welfare policy. The Daily Mail op-ed authored by Farage is part of ongoing coverage of migration policy in the United Kingdom and the broader world stage.