LONDON-(MaraviPost)-Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has unveiled a controversial proposal to bar most non-UK and non-EU foreign nationals from accessing social housing, arguing that the move would prioritise British families waiting for affordable homes and bring an end to what she described as “cash machine Britain.”
According to the Daily Express, the Conservatives announced plans that would make most non-EU foreign nationals ineligible for social housing tenancies if the party returns to government.
Under the proposal, existing social housing tenants who are neither UK, Irish nor EU citizens would be given six months to vacate their homes, after which the properties would be allocated to families at the top of local authority waiting lists.
Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary Helen Whately defended the proposal, claiming that nearly a quarter of a million social homes in England are currently occupied by foreign nationals despite being subsidised by British taxpayers.
Whately argued that making Britain a permanent home should be earned through work, paying taxes and integrating into society, insisting that access to taxpayer-funded housing should not be automatic.
She further accused the governing Labour Party of losing control of both immigration and welfare spending, saying British families have been left paying the price while remaining on lengthy housing waiting lists.
Under the proposed policy, only UK nationals, Irish citizens and people with EU settled status would qualify for future social housing tenancies.
The Conservatives also propose that couples would lose eligibility if neither partner is a UK or EU citizen with settled status, while existing EU citizens with settled status would continue to qualify.
However, the proposal has attracted sharp criticism from housing organisations and professional bodies.
Shelter chief executive Sarah Elliott described the policy as “divisive,” warning that it would force vulnerable families from their homes and deepen Britain’s housing crisis rather than solve it.
The Royal College of Nursing also criticised the proposal, arguing that it could create housing insecurity for international healthcare workers who play a vital role in sustaining the National Health Service.
The organisation warned that uncertainty over housing could ultimately affect patient care by making it harder to recruit and retain skilled nurses from overseas.
The announcement comes as immigration continues to dominate political debate in the United Kingdom ahead of future elections, with the Conservatives seeking to distinguish themselves through tougher policies on immigration and welfare.
Supporters of the proposal argue that it would ensure scarce public housing benefits British citizens first, while critics contend that it unfairly targets lawfully resident migrants and risks increasing homelessness.
The proposal is expected to generate intense political debate in Parliament and across the country as parties outline competing approaches to immigration, housing and public spending.
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