UK Tories Plan £47bn Savings Banning Foreigners from Benefits

The Conservative Party, led by Shadow Chancellor Sir Mel Stride, has proposed a sweeping overhaul of the UK's welfare system to save nearly £50 billion annually by limiting benefits exclusively to British citizens, excluding most foreign nationals even if they have indefinite leave to remain. This policy would affect around 470,000 current claimants and remove benefits such as universal credit, disability payments, and housing assistance from non-citizens, though EU nationals with settled status would be exempt due to Brexit agreements. The reforms also include ending sickness benefits for people with "low-level" mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression, tightening criteria for disability benefits, and imposing stricter requirements to seek work for housing benefit recipients. Additionally, the Conservatives plan to cut 130,000 civil service jobs and slash foreign aid to 0.1% of GDP to reduce public spending. The measures aim to counter the rising popularity of Reform UK and present the Conservatives as fiscally responsible, with Stride emphasizing that UK citizenship should "mean something" in terms of welfare access. Critics argue these changes would significantly impact vulnerable populations, though the Tories assert the reforms are necessary to stabilize public finances and promote employment.