New Tory proposals could prevent benefit claimants from buying alcohol and cigarettes

• The Conservatives have proposed introducing pre-loaded payment cards for an estimated 350,000 jobseekers to restrict welfare spending.
• The card would prevent claimants from spending benefits on alcohol, cigarettes, gambling, or cash withdrawals, limiting purchases to essential items and bills.
• Jobseekers without a sustained record of tax contributions would face a one-third cut to their standard Universal Credit rate after six months.
• Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch claimed the £538 million annual saving scheme addresses a system that is currently unfair to workers and taxpayers.
• Labour criticised the proposal as an unworkable card scheme, pointing to its own plan for a £3.5 billion employment support package.

IN FULL

Tories would ban long-term benefit claimants from gambling, buying alcohol and cigarettes