Tories propose barring foreign nationals from social housing
- The Conservative Party has proposed a policy to bar foreign nationals from social housing, claiming it would free up approximately 230,000 homes for British families.
- Under the plan, non-UK, Irish or EU citizens currently in social housing would lose their homes, and new tenancies would be restricted to UK nationals and those with EU settled status.
- Critics, including Labour, warned the proposal could breach international obligations and UK equality law, potentially leading to legal challenges and increased homelessness for long-term residents and NHS workers.
- Government data from 2024 indicates that 90 per cent of social housing lets already go to UK nationals, with the remainder allocated to EEA, Swiss, Irish citizens or migrants in severe housing need.
- Housing charities like Shelter and Crisis highlighted that strict eligibility rules for social housing already exist, and the policy could displace thousands of families and pensioners, increasing pressure on councils.
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