The Survival Manual for Living Through Reform

Reform claim to stand for “ordinary Britons”. In reality, their programme mixes fantasy economics, empty slogans, and reckless cuts. If they ever took power, survival would be the watchword.

If You’re a Pensioner

• Expect cuts. Reform promise £150 billion of “savings”. That scale of reduction can’t come from trimming waste - it hits the NHS, social care and local councils, because those are the biggest budgets. Survival tip: build a cash buffer, budget for private dental or optical care, and assume more costs will fall on you.
• Brace for energy shocks. Scrapping net zero won’t bring bills down - it ties Britain more tightly to volatile fossil fuels. Renewables are already the cheapest source of new power. Survival tip: insulate your home, switch to efficient appliances, and if possible invest in solar.
• Guard your pension income. Migrants with Indefinite Leave to Remain contribute billions in tax each year. Drive them out and the tax base shrinks - making the state pension harder to fund. Reform have been non-committal on the triple lock; it is politically sensitive but under financial pressure. Survival tip: plan as if pensions only rise with inflation, not wages, and make extra provision where you can.

If You’re a Working-Age Briton

• Protect your job. Reform suggest deporting migrants will lift wages. The evidence from Brexit says otherwise: when hundreds of thousands of EU workers left, real wages didn’t rise - studies show they fell compared to staying in the EU. Many firms in farming, construction, and hospitality didn’t pay more; they cut back output or struggled to operate. Survival tip: don’t bank on wage rises from labour shortages. Keep skills current, invest in training, and be ready to pivot if your sector weakens.
• Prepare for market turmoil. Reform’s sums don’t add up: they promise lower taxes and more spending without funding it. That’s Liz Truss’s mini-budget reheated, and we all saw what followed - spiking mortgages and battered pensions. Survival tip: fix your mortgage if possible, avoid new debts, and diversify savings beyond the UK economy.
• Delay entering the housing market. Hold off and keep saving, stay liquid, and watch how markets react. If you must buy, go for the most energy-efficient property you can afford and fix your mortgage rate - but only if you’re confident your job can weather the storm.
• Plan for fewer services. With £150 billion in cuts, schools, transport, and childcare support are unlikely to escape. Survival tip: budget for private childcare or after-school cover, and join unions or professional groups to defend conditions.
• Think long-term. Rolling back net zero isn’t just bad for the climate — it damages a sector worth £83 billion and nearly 700,000 jobs. That’s where growth was coming from. Survival tip: steer towards resilient industries - health, tech, or the global green economy.

Universal Rules:

Don’t trust slogans. “Stop the Boats” and “Scrap Net Zero” collapse the moment you ask how.

Keep a buffer. Cash savings, efficient energy, adaptable skills - anything that reduces reliance on shaky services.

Stay vocal. Pensioners and workers together are the majority. The more you press Reform for detail, the less they can hide behind bumper-stickers.

All the above survives a fact check.