Senedd rejects Reform motion to bar foreign nationals from housing
Reform MS Joe Martin opened the debate by urging the Welsh Government to “end access to HMOs and social housing for foreign nationals”.
The Senedd voted down a Reform Party motion to bar foreign nationals from accessing social housing and house‑in‑multiple‑occupation (HMO) accommodation on Wednesday, 7 October.
Reform MS Joe Martin opened the debate by urging the Welsh Government to “end access to HMOs and social housing for foreign nationals”.
The proposal sparked immediate cross‑party criticism, with Welsh Greens leader Anthony Slaughter branding it “nonsensical, hateful and inflammatory”.
Plaid Cymru and Labour members tabled an amendment that reaffirmed social‑housing priority is determined by need and reminded members that asylum‑seeker dispersal remains a reserved matter for the UK Government.
Reform’s shadow housing minister Francesca O’Brien countered that social housing “should be reserved for the people of this country”. She described the current asylum system as “deranged” and warned it was putting “families out of homes”.
O’Brien pointed out that allocations in Wales still operate under Part 6 of the Housing Act 1996, which she said contains “nothing” about how long individuals have lived in Wales or their citizenship status.
She noted that England introduced a residence test in 2011, allowing councils to decide who qualifies for social housing, and argued Wales should have similar powers.
Section 35 of the Homelessness and Social Housing Allocation (Wales) Bill would have granted Welsh councils that authority, but the clause was removed by an amendment tabled by housing minister Sian Gwenllian.
O’Brien rejected Gwenllian’s description of social housing as a “universal resource”, insisting “It is not a universal resource.” It is a national resource, and it should belong to the people of this nation.”
Conservative communities spokesperson Peter Fox acknowledged public concern over housing pressure, stating “We believe – the Conservative Party believes – that social housing must prioritise those with a genuine and established connection to our country.” We also agree that accommodation should not be provided to people who are here unlawfully.”
Fox dismissed the Reform motion as “headline‑grabbing” and warned it “falls apart the moment you examine how it would work in actual fact”.
He warned the proposal would affect “foreign students renting rooms in HMOs while studying at Welsh universities, it would affect workers who have come here legally, and it would affect Irish citizens whose rights are protected under the common travel area”.
Fox added that EU citizens with settled status were “explicitly told that there would be no change to their rights if they were already lawfully resident in the United Kingdom”, noting those commitments are enshrined in the withdrawal agreement.
Housing minister Sian Gwenllian reiterated that “everyone in Wales should have access to a safe, warm and affordable home”, but cautioned against “divide communities or to pit groups of people against each other”.
She clarified that social housing is not provided to asylum seekers, explaining “The UK Government provides temporary accommodation while a claim is considered”.
Gwenllian reminded members that refugees granted status may “seek housing assistance under the same rules as other households”. She concluded that Reform’s plan offers a “simplistic and divisive approach to a complex housing problem”.
The Senedd rejected the Reform motion by 57 votes to 31 and approved the Plaid Cymru‑Labour amendment by 51 to 37.