Reform UK proposes new social housing priority for young families
A Reform UK government will prioritise married couples aged under-35 with children for social housing in new plans already branded “unserious and unworkable,” reports BritPanorama.
Nigel Farage’s party has announced an overhaul of social housing allocation, placing British-born workers under 35 at the front of the waiting list. The proposed policy aims to prioritise married couples with children, while veterans and those employed will also be moved up the list.
This announcement follows a prior pledge to remove foreign nationals from social housing, which the party claims could free up 540,000 homes. Critics, however, have raised serious concerns about the feasibility and ethics of such measures.
Labour has responded to the plan, labelling it a “desperate bid to shift headlines away from Reform’s sleaze, scandals and infighting.” A spokesperson for Labour reiterated that existing access to social housing is tightly controlled and noted that illegal migrants and asylum seekers are already ineligible for these resources. They cautioned that the new policy could leave long-term UK residents in danger of homelessness.
Reform’s deputy leader, Richard Tice, is scheduled to detail these plans at a press conference, where he will also outline the party’s goal of building 50,000 affordable social homes annually. “There are now 1.3 million people waiting for social housing in Britain,” Tice stated. He highlighted that most individuals on the waiting list lack employment, noting that over half a million social homes are occupied by foreign nationals.
Tice emphasised the plight of young British workers, who frequently cannot afford to leave their family homes. He stated, “It is time for us to prioritise young British workers, and that is what our policy is about.”
In June, Farage initially unveiled a policy designating that all foreign nationals in social housing would be evicted if the party gained power, providing them a three-month grace period to find private accommodation before facing deportation. Tice added, “I have spent my entire career in property development… it is time to get Britain building. It is time for someone who understands how housing works to take charge.”
The party’s approach raises questions about the viability of its proposals amidst ongoing issues within the housing market, eliciting both support and significant criticism across the political spectrum.
