Reform UK has unveiled a wide-ranging plan to cut £50 billion from the welfare bill by imposing strict limits on benefits for foreign nationals and altering disability support, if it wins the next general election. The proposals, announced by the party’s Treasury spokesperson Robert Jenrick, include banning nearly all foreign nationals from claiming most welfare payments and overhauling disability benefits.
The party’s plan targets savings of £21 billion a year by its fifth year through ending the entitlement of foreign nationals—including those with settled status and indefinite leave to remain—to claim benefits such as Universal Credit, housing benefit, jobseeker’s allowance, child benefit, tax-free childcare, and pension credit. Exemptions would be limited to military veterans and war widows. Reform UK acknowledged that implementing such changes would require renegotiating the Brexit withdrawal agreement with the European Union, which currently obliges Britain to pay benefits to EU nationals living in the UK.
On disability benefits, Reform UK aims to save £22 billion by abolishing Personal Independence Payments (PIP) and the health element of Universal Credit for working-age adults. These changes would affect nearly 3 million people currently receiving disability support. Under the proposed system, only individuals with the most severe disabilities would receive direct cash payments through a newly established “health security allowance.” Others would receive support via local authorities through “disability support accounts” designed to cover verifiable additional costs associated with disability. The party also plans increased funding for rehabilitative interventions such as physiotherapy and cognitive behavioural therapy. Reform claims these measures are necessary due to a significant rise in disability benefit claimants over the past two decades, partly attributed to mental health conditions.
Robert Jenrick described the current welfare system as economically unsustainable and “immoral,” arguing that British taxpayers should not subsidize benefits for non-citizens. He warned that without reform, the welfare bill—already forecast to reach £407 billion by 2030—risks bankrupting the country. The party intends to save an additional £500 million to assist expatriates who might be forced to return to the UK as a result of reciprocal moves from the EU in response to welfare changes.
Reform UK’s proposals go beyond existing Conservative plans, which include some restrictions on sickness benefits but do not target EU nationals with settled status. The party has positioned itself as offering a more hardline alternative, especially following recent parliamentary setbacks and the re-election of Nigel Farage in a by-election.
The proposal received criticism from both major parties. A Conservative spokesperson called the announcement rushed and cautioned it could reignite Brexit disputes with uncertain outcomes. Labour expressed concern that the plans would undermine the withdrawal agreement, strip benefits from many long-term residents who have contributed to the economy, and lead to prolonged Brexit negotiations. The Labour spokesman emphasized the potential social impact on individuals lawfully residing in the UK for many years. Meanwhile, the Conservative shadow welfare secretary dismissed the policy as a distraction from controversy surrounding Nigel Farage’s personal finances.
Reform UK stated that welfare expenditure on foreign nationals amounted to £55 billion between April 2022 and February 2026, reflecting the party’s rationale for targeting this area in its cost-cutting agenda. The full details of the proposals are expected to be published in a comprehensive policy paper outlining Reform’s vision to “end benefits Britain” as currently configured.