Reform UK proposes prioritizing British-born workers for social housing

Reform UK has said it will prioritise British-born workers under 35 when allocating social housing if it were to enter government.

Deputy leader Richard Tice will set out plans to build 50,000 affordable social homes a year in a news conference on Monday, a policy which the party claims will require no new taxes or borrowing.

On top of British-born workers, former military service personnel and married couples with children will also be prioritised, Reform said.

A Labour spokesperson called the plans "unserious and unworkable" and accused Reform of pushing "gimmicks and division" with plans that "go after long-term UK residents that have contributed to our country".

Reform previously announced it would evict foreign nationals from social housing - a plan criticised by housing charity Shelter which said building more homes is the solution, rather than "changing the order of the queue" and "stoking division".

Tice will set out how Reform intends to pay for the 50,000 affordable homes during Monday's news conference, the party added.

"It is time for us to prioritise young British workers, and that is what our policy is about," Tice said on Sunday.

"I have spent my entire career in property development, as a private citizen I have led companies which delivered thousands of new homes. In government I will break down the barriers to getting generation rent onto the housing ladder."

He added it is "time to get Britain building" and give "our young people the homes they deserve".

UK or Irish nationals made up 88.5% of main social home householders in 2024/25, according to the English Housing Survey.

That means around 11.5% of main householders, the per­son in whose name the social home is ren­ted, were non-UK or Irish nation­als.

For its part, Reform estimates 540,000 social homes are currently occupied by foreign nationals.

Labour rubbished Reform's plans and insisted social housing is already "tightly controlled".

"Illegal migrants, asylum seekers and migrants on student or work visas are not eligible for social housing," the Labour spokesperson said.

Labour said the Reform plan would target long-term UK residents that have contributed to our country but are not British citizens, including NHS staff.

"It would leave more families at risk of homelessness and drive up use of temporary accommodation at the taxpayers' expense. It would also mean renegotiations with the EU, resulting in years of wrangling."

The Conservative Party, which also said it would revoke the right of foreign nationals to social housing, accused Reform of "trying to catch up" with its policies.

The Tories have said their plan, which would allow Irish citizens and some EU nationals to remain in social housing, would free up around 230,000 homes.

Sir James Cleverly, shadow housing secretary, added: "The Conservatives have already set out comprehensive plans to ensure British nationals are at the front of the queue for social housing. Now Reform are trying to catch up.

"We also believe in a home owning society and that those who work hard should be able to buy their own home, without unnecessary barriers standing in their way."

Liberal Democrat spokesperson Gideon Amos said that Reform's plan was a "cruel gimmick".