Foreign nationals to lose ‘free ride’ by being excluded from social housing under Tory plans

FOREIGN nationals will lose their “free ride” by being excluded from social housing under plans put forward by the Conservatives. They say the crackdown would free up around 230,000 properties across England. Foreign nationals will lose their ‘free ride’ by being excluded from social housing under Tory plans ‘Making Britain your home should be earned by working, paying tax and integrating’, says Shadow Welfare Sec Helen Whately Credit: Alamy Tenants who do not qualify under the proposals would be kicked out of the accommodation within six months. Reform last night accused the Tories of copying their policies as they trail Nigel Farage’s party in the polls. Sign up for the Politics newsletter Thank you! The proposals have been drawn up because social housing is heavily subsidised and tenancies can last for a lifetime, the Conservatives say. Shadow Welfare Secretary Helen Whately said last night: “Making Britain your home should be earned by working, paying tax and integrating. “It should not come with a free ride on the benefits system. Britain cannot be a cash machine for the world. “Labour has lost control of immigration and lost control of the welfare bill, and it is British families picking up the bill and sitting on waiting lists. “The next Conservative government will make foreign nationals ineligible for social housing.” Under current rules, foreigners including those with settled status and refugees can qualify. Most read in The Sun But changes would see a single person not from the UK, Ireland or an EU citizen lose their social home, with or without kids. Those with EU settled status would not be evicted. Couples will lose the entitlement to social housing if neither qualify under the new rules. Labour said: “This is an unserious, unworkable proposal, copied from Reform, that does nothing to tackle the housing crisis the Tories themselves created.” Comment now