The Daily Dazzling Dawn

United Kingdom |

Tories Pledge to Ban Permanent Residency for Migrants on Benefits

by DD Staff

February 06, 2025

Kemi Badenoch

key takeaways

In an effort to lessen the threat posed by the right-wing Reform UK party, the Conservatives have announced a new policy that would prevent migrants from gaining indefinite leave to remain in the UK if they have claimed benefits or utilized social housing.

Additionally, Tory leader Kemi Badenoch declared that her party would extend the time limit from five to ten years before an individual can be granted indefinite leave to stay in the UK.

Successful candidates for indefinite leave to remain in the UK are granted the ability to claim for benefits and to live, work, and study there.

The Tory ideas would require applicants to prove they would be a net fiscal contribution to society in the upcoming years in order to be granted permanent residency in the UK.

Applications would not be accepted from anyone with a criminal record of any kind.

Additionally, Badenoch declared that her party would extend the period from 12 months to 5 years between obtaining indefinite permission to remain and submitting an application for British citizenship.

“Our country is not a dormitory, it’s our home,” said Badenoch.

“The right to citizenship and permanent residency should only go to those who have demonstrated a real commitment to the UK.”

The Tory party, which suffered its worst defeat in its history at the general election last July, is trying to neutralise the threat posed by Reform UK, which has surged ahead of the Conservatives in opinion polls and is now neck and neck with Labour.

Reform leader Nigel Farage said on Wednesday that the Tories were more to blame than Labour for the high immigration to Britain over the past two decades, underscoring the challenge facing Badenoch as she tries to position her party as strong on borders.

The Tories will seek to amend the current government’s border security, asylum and immigration bill to include the new policies, although the move is almost certain to be blocked by Labour MPs, who have a majority in the House of Commons.

“We’re going to tell the hard truths about immigration,” said Badenoch.

"For meaningful integration, the rate of immigration has been too rapid and the volume of new arrivals is too great."

Although it hasn't specified the exact amount, the party has previously stated that it would impose a legally enforceable cap on the number of individuals who might immigrate to the UK.