Reform plans to strip EU citizens of benefit rights, says Farage

Nigel Farage says Reform UK would strip EU citizens of their rights to claim benefits, as he outlined plans to cut government spending by £20bn a year.

He also set out plans to slash foreign aid to a minimum, and nearly triple the annual fee paid by visa applicants to use the NHS.

The Brexit withdrawal deal signed by Boris Johnson in 2020 enabled EU citizens living in the UK before the end of a transition exit period to keep their rights to claim benefits.

This group made up 9.7% of those claiming universal credit in June 2025, according to provisional government statistics published for the first time in July.

The party estimates restricting universal credit to British citizens only would save £6.4bn this year, rising to £10bn by the end of the decade.

The Conservatives have also set out plans to stop paying benefits to foreign nationals, although they have stopped short of blocking EU citizens from claiming.

Reform has also set out plans to cap overseas aid spending at £1bn a year, a new limit that would be written into law to prevent "stealth increases".

This would be a huge reduction in spending – even given cuts in recent years, the aid budget stood at around £14bn last year, including just under £3bn spent on asylum seeker accommodation within the UK.

As part of a proposed £20bn in spending cuts, it also plans to save £3.5bn a year by removing personal independence payments (Pip), a disability benefit, from those with "non serious anxiety issues".

It also plans to raise around £5bn a year by hiking the immigration health surcharge, paid by visa applicants to cover NHS spending, from £2,718 a year from the current £1,035.