Iain Duncan Smith says Boris Johnson must create £460m ‘Universal Credit Part Two’ welfare scheme to save post-Covid Britain from a ‘jobs tsunami’
Brits struggling with addiction, homelessness and mental illness could receive support from a £460million scheme, if the Government carries out a second phase of benefit reform, it has been claimed.
Iain Duncan Smith, the architect of the Universal Credit scheme, is calling for changes which could help support people with problems that keep them out of work.
The former Cabinet minister has suggested the Universal Support scheme could benefit Brits through a Town-Hall led project run by charities.
Former Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith has backed calls for a second reform of Britain's benefits system, which could £460million to help people get over problems that stop them going back to work
Pensions Secretary from 2010 to 2016, Sir Iain has backed a report published by the Centre for Social Justice, which hopes to help get Brits back to work by improving their physical, mental and social wellbeing, The Sun reports.
Sir Iain said: 'We need to bring in a programme of personal support to help those most likely to fall by the wayside as the recession bites over the winter.'
CSJ chief executive Andy Cook added: 'Britain is facing the prospect of a jobless tsunami at the end of October. Our proposals are a very significant step towards addressing that crisis.”
The Department for Work and Pensions said it was 'committed,' to support 'the most vulnerable in society,' adding that it spends more than £95bn a year on the country's benefits system.
Thousands of people have lost their jobs as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, as businesses shrink or close altogether after months of disruption brought on by lockdown and social distancing measures.
Thousands have lost their jobs over the course of the pandemic, it's hoped a new Universal Support system could help get people back into work who may be living with mental health problems, facing addiction or who are homeless
Figures released last month showed the hospitality industry had been hit by the global pandemic, with around a quarter of pubs, bars and restaurants closing as a result of the pandemic.
Mark Davies, the boss of Hawthorn Leisure, which runs 720 community pubs, said: 'Trade is down significantly – we are talking way over 50 per cent in many locations.
'It is inevitable over the next few weeks there will be pub closures. It is going to have a devastating impact and we will see a tsunami of job losses. It is totally unnecessary.'