Nigel Farage has vowed to evict foreign nationals from council housing and deport those who fail to move into private accommodation within three months if Reform UK wins power. The party’s leader unveiled the hardline proposal as part of his party’s latest immigration crackdown, declaring that social housing should be prioritised for British citizens, veterans and long-term local residents.

Under the plans, foreign nationals living in social housing would be given a three-month grace period to find alternative accommodation in the private rented sector. Those unable to do so would lose their right to remain in Britain and face deportation under Reform’s proposed Operation Restoring Justice.

Mr Farage doubled down on the pledge in a video posted to X, saying: “Social housing should no longer be available to non-British citizens.” He argued that taxpayers should not be funding accommodation for foreign nationals while housing waiting lists continue to grow.

The announcement marks the latest escalation in Reform’s immigration platform as the party faces growing pressure from rival right-wing outfit Restore Britain ahead of the Makerfield by-election.

Mr Farage said thousands of social homes had been allocated to refugees in recent years and argued that the system should instead favour British nationals.

According to proposals outlined by the Reform leader, residency and local connection requirements would be strengthened to ensure veterans and established local residents are given preference for social housing allocations. Domestic abuse survivors and care leavers would be exempt from the changes.

In a new Substack essay, Mr Farage said that foreign nationals who could not relocate after the three-month period would become “liable for deportation” under the scheme.

The proposals come amid mounting public concern over housing shortages. A recent BBC report highlighted the scale of the social housing crisis, with waiting lists stretching for years in some parts of the country and demand continuing to outstrip supply.

Government figures cited in the debate show that most social homes are still allocated to UK nationals. Ministers have also pointed out that illegal migrants, asylum seekers and those on student or work visas are generally not eligible for social housing.

Mr Farage has nevertheless argued that the current system is unfair and has claimed it has weakened established communities.

The Reform leader pointed to data showing that one in 10 new social housing lettings in England during the 2022-23 financial year had a non-UK citizen as the lead tenant, while a growing proportion of social housing residents were born overseas.

The announcement also appears to settle an internal row within Reform over deportation policy.

Last month, senior party figures publicly contradicted one another after Treasury spokesman Robert Jenrick suggested migrants would not be deported solely for living in council housing. Home affairs spokesman Zia Yusuf responded by insisting that any foreign national living in social housing at taxpayers’ expense would automatically fail Reform’s economic test and face removal.

Labour immediately attacked the latest plans. A source close to Housing Secretary Steve Reed told The Telegraph that the policy would require a “Trump ICE-style deportation police force” to enforce it.

Reform has previously claimed it would deport around 600,000 migrants over five years under Operation Restoring Justice and has pledged to scrap indefinite leave to remain for many future migrants.

With immigration once again dominating the political agenda, Mr Farage’s latest intervention is likely to intensify the debate over who should be first in line for Britain’s increasingly scarce supply of social housing.

The row comes days after Southwark Council repossessed a council flat rented by Fatima Jabbe-Bio, the wife of Sierra Leone’s president. The case sparked national debate over who should qualify for scarce social housing and was cited by Reform figures as pressure grows on housing waiting lists.