Tories propose barring non-UK nationals from social housing

The Conservative Party has proposed a policy to bar most foreign nationals from social housing, a plan it says would free up approximately 230,000 homes for British families. The proposal, announced on August 6, 2026, would affect current and future tenants who are not UK, Irish, or EU citizens with settled status.

Under the plan, any single person or family currently living in social housing who does not meet the new citizenship criteria would lose their home, with tenants given six months to move out. For new tenancies, eligibility would be restricted to UK nationals and those with EU settled status, meaning new EU citizens without that status would not qualify. The policy would not apply to foreign nationals who already have refugee status or specific humanitarian protections.

Conservative officials framed the proposal as a matter of fairness and fiscal responsibility. Helen Whately, the shadow work and pensions secretary, stated that making Britain a home should be earned by working, paying tax, and integrating, and argued the welfare system should not offer a "free ride." She contended that nearly 230,000 homes could be redirected to British families as a result.