Reform UK Makes Bold Pledge: Scrap Permanent Residency, Cut Welfare – Can the Party Rise Beyond ‘Anti-Immigration’ Politics?
- TBA
- Oct 10
- 3 min read
In recent years, immigration to the UK has reached record highs. Home Office data shows that in 2023 net migration exceeded 740,000, the highest in history.
From the Conservatives raising the salary threshold for work visas, to Labour proposing a ten-year route to permanent residency, tougher immigration policy has become a rare point of cross-party consensus.
The Reform UK party went further: if it wins the next general election, it would abolish the right of work visa holders to secure indefinite leave to remain (ILR) after five years. The announcement has sparked fierce debate.
Reform UK: abolishing ILR and cutting benefits
At the party’s conference, its leader Nigel Farage announced that if Reform UK wins the next election, it will end the current route to permanent residency after five years on a work visa. Instead, migrants would need to apply for a new, more restrictive visa.
The plan would introduce a renewable five-year work visa to replace ILR, alongside further restrictions:
Higher salary thresholds and tougher English language requirements
Stricter rules for bringing dependants such as spouses and children
Withdrawal of access to welfare benefits for permanent residents
Although the party claims the policy would save £234 billion over several decades, critics from across the political spectrum, think tanks and industry groups have condemned it as excessively radical.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves dismissed the proposal, saying the savings figures had ‘no basis in reality’. Labour, however, is already considering tighter restrictions on migrants’ access to benefits.
Think tanks have also highlighted major flaws in Reform UK’s figures. The Centre for Policy Studies (CPS), the original source of the savings claim, has since rejected the number and advised against its use.
Reform UK leads in the polls
The controversy has attracted particular attention because Reform UK has enjoyed a sharp rise in support.
Farage claimed in 2024 that party membership had reached 135,000, surpassing the Conservatives’ 131,860, making Reform UK ‘Britain’s second largest party’.
Although the Conservatives have disputed these figures, Reform UK’s momentum is undeniable. A February 2025 poll showed the party on 25% support, ahead of Labour on 24% and the Conservatives on 21%.
On leader favourability, Farage’s net rating of -27 also outperformed Kemi Badenoch (-29) and Prime Minister Keir Starmer (-36).
Polling by YouGov shows Reform UK maintaining a lead in several voting intention trackers for months, with its relentless focus on immigration boosting its dominance of the debate.
But high polling numbers do not automatically translate into trust in government.
Another YouGov survey found that despite the surge, only about one in four respondents believe Reform UK could ‘govern the country well’.
The ILR proposal, seen as radical and lacking evidence, has become fresh ammunition for critics questioning the party’s competence and moral foundations.
Broader debate on immigration and society
Britain’s ‘immigration wave’ presents a dual reality. On one hand, the rise in arrivals has heightened pressures on housing, welfare and schools, fuelling anxiety in smaller towns and amplifying cultural tensions.
On the other hand, sectors such as healthcare, education, construction and hospitality remain heavily reliant on migrant workers. A sudden tightening of immigration could create labour shortages and service gaps.
Immigration policy is also deeply tied to public finances.
Research consistently shows that high-skilled, long-term migrants make significant contributions to the UK Treasury.
Restrictive policies that curtail or strip away legal rights risk undermining trust in belonging, driving skilled workers away or discouraging participation in the labour market. This could cut output, reduce tax revenue, and damage higher education and the UK’s global competitiveness in talent recruitment.
Immigration at the heart of future elections
The next UK general election is expected in 2029, and immigration will remain a central battleground.
Reform UK, the Conservatives and Labour each reflect public demand for ‘border control’, while also exposing tensions between economic needs and demographic reality.
Fiscal pressures will only intensify the debate.
Analysts widely expect the Treasury to announce tax rises in November’s Autumn Statement to address public service funding gaps and mounting debt. That could trigger backlash from the middle class and businesses, sharpening questions over whether immigration adds to taxpayers’ burdens.
Why TB Accountants?
Professional Assurance: Our team includes ACA members and ACCA-certified professionals, delivering services to the highest industry standards.
Responsive Service: We respond to your inquiries within 24 hours, ensuring efficient communication across time zones.
Multilingual Support: Services available in English, Mandarin, Cantonese, Japanese, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Turkish, and more.
Trusted by Clients Worldwide: Consistently praised by global clients for proactive, professional, and reliable accounting and tax support.
For individuals and businesses looking for UK taxation services, use our contact form to get in touch for more information.
Get in touch with us at info@tbagroup.uk or for a free one-to-one consultation.
