Chancellor Rishi Sunak is set to announce a new package for workers today amid the coronavirus crisis.
Ahead of the announcement, Green Party co-leader Jonathan Bartley has urged the government to adopt a Universal Basic Income in order to ensure financial protection for all.
Bartley said:
“Right now, people are having to choose between not paying rent, or risking the spread of infection by going out to work. Nobody should have to face this decision. People need and deserve protection.
“Half measures like freezing Income Tax and National Insurance won’t do. This just kicks the can down the road, and is of no help to people who have lost their jobs or don’t have enough work hours to make ends meet. All of us still have bills to pay and mouths to feed.
“We must have a Universal Basic Income. This would give people real financial protection and the freedom to follow the public health advice in the knowledge that we are protected from poverty.”