The Conservatives have said that, if they win the next general election, they would end access to social housing in England for foreign nationals.

Under the party’s proposal, new social housing tenancies would stop for foreign nationals. It would also end existing tenancies for couples where neither partner is a UK, Irish or EU citizen. The Conservatives said the changes would free up an estimated 228,144 homes for British families.

The party said Labour had “lost control of immigration”, leaving families on housing waiting lists. Labour disputed that characterisation, describing the policy as an “unserious, unworkable proposal” copied from Reform UK and arguing it would not address the housing shortage.

Planned Changes In England

The Conservatives said foreign nationals would be expected to leave social homes within six months if they were found to be ineligible under the new rules. The policy would cover single people as well as couples in specific circumstances.

The party’s comments came after Nigel Farage, the leader of Reform UK, said in June that foreign national tenants would be required to secure private accommodation within three months, or face potential deportation if Reform won power.

Eligibility Rules And Existing Tenants

Under the Conservatives’ plan, any single person currently living in social housing who is not a UK, Irish or EU citizen would lose their home, regardless of whether they have children. Couples where neither partner is a UK or EU citizen and who do not have EU settled status would also lose entitlement.

People with EU settled status would not be evicted under the proposals. For future tenancies, the party said UK nationals and those with EU settled status would remain eligible, while new EU citizens without settled status would not.

Foreign nationals with settled status, refugee status or specific humanitarian protections would continue to qualify for social housing under the existing framework. Asylum seekers would not be eligible unless in exceptional cases, including where someone is experiencing domestic abuse.

The Conservatives also previously floated a different approach when in government in 2024, considering a 10-year UK residence requirement before foreign nationals could qualify for social housing.

Housing Waiting List And Lettings Data

The latest government figures show 1.34 million households were on social housing waiting lists as of March 2025.

Data from 2024-25 indicates that most new social lettings go to single people. For the lead tenant of new social lettings, the person in whose name the tenancy is held, 89% were UK nationals, totalling 233,000 tenants. In the same period, 2.3% of new lettings were granted to refugees: 800 of those were UK nationals, while 3,900 were non-UK nationals. The most common refugee nationality in new lettings was Afghanistan, with Ukraine second.

Criticism From Labour, Shelter And Reform

Helen Whately, the Conservative shadow work and pensions secretary, said: “Making Britain your home should be earned by working, paying tax and integrating.” She added that Labour had lost control of immigration and the welfare bill, and that British families were “sitting on waiting lists”.

Labour said the policy would mainly affect refugees and long-term residents who had contributed, while putting more families at risk of homelessness. A Labour spokesperson said: “No amount of headline-chasing, or following Reform to the extremes, can hide the damage the Tories did to our housing system,” adding that the Conservatives should acknowledge their failures.

Housing and homelessness charity Shelter said eligibility rules for social housing were already strict and that accommodation was not provided immediately to people on arrival. Sarah Elliott, Shelter’s chief executive, said the “divisive plans” would “brutally kick people out of their homes”, including thousands of families and pensioners who have lived there for decades, and argued the housing emergency is linked to governments failing to build enough affordable social homes.

Reform UK’s home affairs spokesperson, Zia Yusuf, accused the Conservatives of trying to copy Reform’s position but argued they had not gone far enough because their ban would not include people with EU settled status. He said Reform would make social housing “strictly for British citizens”.

Join the discussion?

7 August 2026

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Guy’s living in social housing who are married to foreigners (Thai wives) are going to be evicted or are only their wives going to be evicted?

23 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Guy’s living in social housing who are married to foreigners (Thai wives) are going to be evicted or are only their wives going to be evicted?

Maybe you should try reading before commenting or if you did and were still confused then perhaps use an online dictionary to look up the meaning of the word "neither".

"It would also end existing tenancies for couples where neither partner is a UK, Irish or EU citizen."

11 minutes ago, James105 said:

Maybe you should try reading before commenting or if you did and were still confused then perhaps use an online dictionary to look up the meaning of the word "neither".

"It would also end existing tenancies for couples where neither partner is a UK, Irish or EU citizen."

Check your that dictionary of yours, what’s the nationality of ‘Guys’?

26 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Check your that dictionary of yours, what’s the nationality of ‘Guys’?

Stop trying to gaslight. This is an article about UK social housing and you were implying that a UK guy married to a Thai partner would result in the Thai partner being evicted as you didn't read or didn't understand the article before you commented. Besides, what is the problem with this policy? It will free up 228,144 homes for British families. Legal immigrants (as they are all net contributors), do not need social housing and can easily move into private rental housing and pay market rates (or buy) without subsidy, and British families that need social housing can move into one of those 228,144 freed up houses.

A sensible policy.

Social housing should never be used for foreign nationals. Kind of obvious really.

3 hours ago, webfact said:

The Conservatives have said that, if they win the next general election

Well that's never going to happen so it's a moot point, isn't it?

Sounds like they're getting desperate to get their noses back in the trough expect more extreme proposals to come.

Speaking purely from a personal point of view I will never vote for a tory candidate as long as Badenough remains leader.

She just screams fake to me every time she opens her mouth I cant stand her and cant get to the TV remote quick enough every time she comes on and I know for a fact I'm not the only one.

4 hours ago, gargamon said:

Well that's never going to happen so it's a moot point, isn't it?

Just like Trump was never going to win in 2016 and just as the British people were never going to vote themselves out of the EU?????

I totally agree with this in principle, but what would they do with the evicted families? Move them into hotels?

3 hours ago, Leopold Bloom said:

Just like Trump was never going to win in 2016 and just as the British people were never going to vote themselves out of the EU?????

The Brits have probably learned from their past mistakes and wouldn't be stupid enough to make that big of a mistake again and vote Conservative. For the US, that ship has sailed and whether they can recover is questionable.

I note that nowhere in this thread is there a mention of the fact that social house building has stalled since 1980.

That is the elephant in the room, but no, political posturing appears to be more important to some posters as opposed to objective debate on the need to jumpstart the social building industry .

Shortage of housing was not a big problem pre 1980 in UK.

Wonder what changed?

37 minutes ago, Red Forever said:

Shortage of housing was not a big problem pre 1980 in UK.

Wonder what changed?

Thatcher !! sold off all the family gold,silver and anything else that would make some profit for the..god know who the hell..but not the normal people of 'Britain'

Not sure what would happen if people were thrown on the streets. Being homeless would be its own burden, surely?

10 hours ago, Purdey said:

Not sure what would happen if people were thrown on the streets. Being homeless would be its own burden, surely?

"Thrown on the streets". They can go home if they cannot afford to live in the UK. We are always told immigrants are net contributors so I am sure they will be fine paying market rates anyway.

The lying Tories would promise anything to get your vote then if they won do NOTHING

6 hours ago, henryford1958 said:

The lying Tories would promise anything to get your vote then if they won do NOTHING

You mean, just like all politicians everywhere?

Ironically, Donald Trump does at least try to keep some of the important promises: no tax on tips (done), CLOSE THE BORDER (done in one week after 4 years of waiting) and no American boots on foreign soil (apart from Communist Venezuela).

But then, Trump, a mere businessman, is not a politician....

2 hours ago, Leopold Bloom said:

no American boots on foreign soil (apart from Communist Venezuela).

Wrong!

The military of the United States is deployed in most countries around the world, with more than 160,000 of its active-duty personnel stationed outside the United States and its territories!

2 hours ago, Leopold Bloom said:

But then, Trump, a mere businessman, is not a politician....

It is obvious to all that he is a success at neither!

20 hours ago, Purdey said:

Not sure what would happen if people were thrown on the streets. Being homeless would be its own burden, surely?

Asylum seekers are already ineligible for social housing while their case is assessed. After several months or in some cases, even years, asylum seekers (around five per cent of migrants) can be given refugee status and can become eligible for housing and benefits. Even then, most will not be classified as "priority need" and will never be allocated social housing.

New migrants arriving in the UK aren’t eligible for social housing except in very limited circumstances, such as if a spouse forced to leave home because of domestic violence. Most people who come to the UK on visas to work or study have ‘no recourse to public funds’ and can’t receive benefits or get help with their housing.

The Conservative Party policy actually doesn't change things that much.

2 hours ago, scottiejohn said:

Wrong!

The military of the United States is deployed in most countries around the world, with more than 160,000 of its active-duty personnel stationed outside the United States and its territories!

ah, silly me -- how could I omit that obvious point. I bow to your superior noodle.