Nigel Farage is facing renewed scrutiny over how he financed the purchase of a £1.4m home in Surrey, after details about the timing of his income and company accounts raised fresh questions.
Get today's headlines by email 
The leader of Reform UK previously said he bought the property in 2024 without a mortgage using the fee he earned from appearing on the reality television programme I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!.
However, financial records and statements made at different times have prompted questions about whether that explanation fully accounts for the purchase.
Property purchase and TV earnings
According to documents from the UK Land Registry seen by the BBC, the property was bought outright with cash on 10 May 2024, with no mortgage attached.
Last week, Reform UK said the purchase had been funded using Farage’s payment for taking part in the ITV reality show in late 2023. Farage finished third on the programme and was widely reported to have received a seven-figure appearance fee.
But in an interview with the Financial Times in 2025, Farage said the payment for the television appearance had been made to his company, Thorn In The Side Limited.
Company accounts for the firm show cash holdings rising by about £1.4m in the financial year ending May 2024. Yet the same records suggest the money remained in the company’s accounts even after the Surrey home was purchased.
The accounts also indicate that no dividends were paid out to Farage during that period.
Gift from major donor
The issue has drawn further attention because Farage received a £5m payment in April 2024 from Christopher Harborne, a British businessman based in Thailand.
The payment was made on 5 April 2024, around a month before the property purchase.
Reform UK has denied that the gift was used to fund the home, stating that the money was not connected to the purchase made 36 days later.
A spokesperson for Farage said anti-money laundering checks related to the property transaction had taken place in March 2024, before the gift was received.
The spokesperson added that Farage has several income streams, pointing to details listed in his parliamentary register of interests.
Political criticism and investigation
Labour Party chair Anna Turley said Farage should provide clear evidence explaining the source of the funds.
She said the Reform UK leader must “stop dodging scrutiny” over the £5m payment and demonstrate that his account of events is accurate.
Harborne has said the payment was given because of his admiration for Farage’s long campaign for Brexit. In an interview with The Telegraph, he said he did not expect anything in return other than ensuring Farage’s safety.
Farage has said the money was intended to help cover the cost of lifetime security.
Under parliamentary rules, newly elected MPs must declare donations received in the 12 months before they take office. The £5m payment did not appear on Farage’s declaration of interests and only became public after it was reported by the The Guardian last month.
Reform UK maintains the payment did not need to be declared because it was a “personal, unconditional gift”.
The Parliamentary Standards Commissioner has opened an inquiry into whether Farage breached Commons rules by failing to declare the payment.
Speaking to The Sun newspaper on Thursday, Farage said the money had been given as a reward for his Brexit campaigning and that he was “not in the least bit worried” about the investigation.
Harborne has since become Reform UK’s largest financial backer, donating £12m to the party in 2025.
Join the discussion? 
Already a member? 
Adapted by ASEAN Now. Source 19 May 2026
Recommended Comments
Create an account or sign in to comment