Labour calls for action on benefits, rents and utilities

Labour has called for greater action by the Government on benefit levels, rent relief, and utility bills in response to the Coronavirus crisis.

Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell published a Labour Party report, 'Protecting People in and Out of Work', that calls for a more flexible furloughing scheme, reforms to Statutory Sick Pay, increased benefit levels, rent relief, and a moratorium on utility bill disconnections.

John McDonnell MP, Labour’s Shadow Chancellor, said:

"As we move into the next stage of this crisis, which we are all working so hard to tackle, we have to build into our social protection system the resilience we need to deal with the growing strain on our economy and public services in the coming days.

"An increase in benefit levels, and further action on rent and utilities, will give the protection that is needed for people in and out of work in the days and weeks ahead.

"We also urgently need changes to Statutory Sick Pay and adjustments to the Government's job retention and self-employed schemes, to ensure no one slips through our safety net - and to guarantee strong foundations for the future."

Ends

Notes to Editors:

• The Labour Party report identifies five problems with existing protection packages: inflexibility in the job retention scheme, workers "missing out" on Statutory Sick Pay and other protections, the access and generosity of benefits, inaction on rents and utility bills, and uncertainties over self-employment.
• The report makes the following eight proposals:

• The report discusses New Economics Foundation research proposing a minimum income guarantee for claimants.