Tackle £100bn poverty bill to fund tax cuts, says think tank

The Centre for Social Justice think tank has released a manifesto setting out how to tackle social breakdown to fund tax cuts, ahead of the election of the next Conservative leader and Prime Minister.

A poll of 2,000 adults commissioned by the right-leaning think tank and conducted by Opinium found that three in four (73%) of the public agreed that “the next Prime Minister should announce a new plan to reduce poverty as a priority”.

With Britain’s social problems such as family breakdown, criminal reoffending and educational under-attainment estimated to cost Britain almost £100bn each year alone, the CSJ also asked for the public’s perspective on these matters.

By two to one the public agreed that the next Prime Minister “should announce a new plan to reduce family breakdown and build stronger families”, according to the poll, whilst over half support tax reforms to give further support to married couples with children.

The CSJ was founded by former Conservative Party leader Iain Duncan Smith, who later served as welfare secretary under David Cameron and drove through significant benefit cuts before resigning over disability benefit cuts. He is known for his traditionalist views on families and society.

The CSJ’s new manifesto, Repairing our Society, sets out policies to address these social challenges – while recognising the gains that could be achieved for the public finances, which could ultimately fund tax cuts, if serious progress could be made.

Its recommendations include:

· Creating a new Cabinet level position with responsibility for family policy

· Boosting the Marriage Allowance to allow couples to share 100 per cent of their personal tax allowance

· The government funding 100 per cent of childcare costs for three and four year olds on Universal Credit, while introducing a voucher system for other families

· Rolling out body scanners and wastewater testing in all prisons to crack down on drug addiction in prisons

· Extending the school day to offer children five hours of extra-curricular activity a week

· Offering an effective £442 tax cut for workers on Universal Credit by restoring Work Allowances to 2016 levels

CSJ chief executive Andy Cook said: ‘Tax cuts have dominated the debate for who should be the next Prime Minister. And yet the discussion has so far failed to take seriously the urgent need to repair the social damage our nation has experienced over the last two years.

‘Gripping these big issues with determination – whether that’s families breaking apart, lockdown’s devastating blow to education, or the crime plaguing our streets – is what will ultimately generate the fiscal headroom needed to cut taxes and build a stronger society for everyone.

‘And with three in four of the public agreeing that the next Prime Minister needs to immediately set out their plan to tackle poverty, contenders should adopt the ambitious but credible plan set out in this manifesto to release our nation’s immense potential in the years ahead.’

Photo by Nick Fewings