The British anti-immigration party Reform UK, led by extremist Nigel Farage, wants foreigners legally residing in the UK to no longer be eligible for a series of social benefits. The measure would also affect Romanians settled in the United Kingdom, along with other European Union citizens.
However, the plan could also have consequences for British citizens residing in EU countries. To implement it, London would need to renegotiate provisions of the agreement reached with the European Union after Brexit, and British citizens in the EU could, on a reciprocal basis, lose similar rights.
Reform UK argues that the measure could bring savings of £21 billion per year, approximately €24.6 billion, by the end of the fifth year of implementation.
What benefits could be cut. And Romanians would be affected
The proposal targets foreign citizens legally residing in the United Kingdom. They would no longer have access to several forms of social support, including housing and unemployment benefits, child allowances for low-income families, and some assistance for people with disabilities.
Romanians who benefit from the rights protected by the Brexit agreement currently have access to social benefits under the same conditions as British citizens. For Reform UK to be able to eliminate these rights, if it comes to power, the provisions agreed with the European Union would need to be renegotiated.
Such a change could also affect British citizens living in EU countries, who could, on a reciprocal basis, lose equivalent rights.
"For British workers to pay benefits for foreigners is not just an economic absurdity, but simply immoral," said Robert Jenrick, a representative of Reform UK.
"People are more than willing to help their neighbors in difficult times, but the British taxpayer cannot afford to subsidize the entire planet, especially those who have not contributed to the system," he added.
The proposal has been criticized by both the ruling Labour Party and the Conservatives.
The agreement with the EU should be renegotiated
However, the implementation of the plan would not depend solely on a decision of the future British government. Some of the rights of European citizens are guaranteed by the agreement between London and Brussels after Brexit.
A change to these provisions would require negotiations with the European Union and could lead to the loss of rights for British citizens living in EU countries.
For now, the Reform UK proposal remains a political plan. In order to put it into practice, Farage's party would first need to come to power.
Reform UK tightens its anti-immigration policy
This is the latest in a series of proposals through which Reform UK is trying to reduce immigration and the rights granted to migrants.
Nigel Farage previously proposed amending human rights legislation to allow for the widespread expulsion of migrants who illegally enter the UK by crossing the English Channel. He also argued that the country faces "major social unrest" due to immigration.
Reform UK has led the polls for over a year, amid growing concerns about immigration, and achieved significant results in the local and regional elections in May. Currently, the party is in second place in the polls, behind the Labour Party.
The next general elections are expected by 2029, so Reform UK still has to pass the test of maintaining electoral support until the moment it could attempt to turn these proposals into governance policies.