Nigel Farage, the leader of Reform UK, has launched a fresh attack on migrants, announcing plans to scrap the long-standing route to Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR). Under current rules, people who have lived and worked in the UK for five years can apply for ILR, giving them stability, security, and often a pathway to citizenship. Farage, however, claims this system “betrays democracy” and insists it should be abolished. He argues that many migrants who came to the UK under post-Brexit rules—the so-called “Boris-wave”—do not work and would rely on benefits if granted permanent status.

The Numbers Don’t Add Up

Critics have been quick to highlight the shaky foundations of Farage’s proposal. He leans heavily on a disputed claim that cutting immigration and access to welfare could save the country £230 billion. The think tank he cited, the Centre for Policy Studies, has since distanced itself from that number, saying it “should no longer be used.” Economists and migration experts describe the justification as “dodgy maths” that fails to reflect the reality of the UK’s workforce and economy. Farage’s sweeping statements are being called out not just as misleading, but also as potentially harmful to the very sectors already struggling to survive.

Risks to Jobs, Services and the Economy

Beyond questionable figures, the practical consequences of this proposal could be devastating. Millions of people who have lived legally in the UK for years, working hard and paying taxes, would suddenly find themselves in limbo. Industries that rely heavily on migrant workers, especially the care sector, warn of crippling staff shortages if pathways to permanence are shut down. Migrants are not only filling vital roles in hospitals, schools, and social care; they are also paying into the system, supporting communities, and keeping services afloat. Removing ILR would not only hurt families but would also undermine the wider economy that depends on their contributions.

The Human Cost

Indefinite Leave to Remain is more than just a bureaucratic process—it is a promise of belonging. It allows people to settle, build careers, raise families, and become part of the fabric of British society. Farage’s suggestion that this right should be withdrawn places communities under threat and risks tearing families apart. It would also throw the lives of hundreds of thousands of people into chaos, leaving them unsure if they can continue working, studying, or even living in the country they now call home.

Misrepresenting Migrants

Perhaps most damaging is the way Farage characterises migrants. He claims that half of those who arrived under the new system do not work and “never will.” Yet data shows that most are indeed working, many of them in roles desperately needed by the UK. To dismiss their contributions with baseless assumptions is not only inaccurate but also feeds dangerous stereotypes. This rhetoric ignores the reality: migrants are driving buses, staffing hospitals, teaching in schools, caring for the elderly - and in the case of this Visa, creating businesses, income and jobs. Farage’s narrative paints them as a burden, when in truth they are essential.

Unclear, Unfair, and Unworkable

Even the details of Farage’s proposal are a muddle. Would it apply only to future applicants, or would people who already hold ILR be at risk of losing it? Would groups such as Ukrainians or Hong Kong nationals be treated differently, or would no one be spared? The lack of clarity reveals just how ill-thought-out this plan is. More importantly, it exposes the disregard for fairness. People who moved to the UK in good faith, following the rules, would be told that the promises made to them no longer count.

A Dangerous Gamble

Farage’s proposal to abolish Indefinite Leave to Remain is not a harmless soundbite. It is a reckless gamble with people’s lives and with the stability of the country. The financial claims behind it collapse under scrutiny, while the social and moral costs would be immense. For the many migrants who have built their futures here—working, paying taxes, and enriching British society—ILR is not just paperwork, it is recognition of their belonging. To attack it is to attack the very people who keep the UK running.

This article has been adapted from https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/nigel-farage-migration-indefinite-leave-to-remain-b2831323.html