A fresh online campaign is demanding a radical overhaul of how welfare payments are distributed in the UK, calling for cash to be replaced with a restricted-use card for benefit claimants.
The Push for a Restricted Spending System
The petition, launched by Dewald Meiring on the official Petitions Parliament website, argues that state support should be directed solely towards essential items. It proposes introducing a 'payment card' system that could only be used for purchases like food, clothing, and school supplies.
"We are concerned that the taxpayer could be funding non-essential items for those who rely on the state for support," Meiring stated. The campaign, titled 'Introduce a benefits payment card that can be used for essentials only', needs 10,000 signatures to trigger a government response and 100,000 signatures to be considered for a parliamentary debate.
The Staggering Scale of UK Welfare Spending
The call for reform comes against a backdrop of immense public expenditure on social security. In the 2025/26 financial year, the UK Government is projected to spend £323.1 billion on the welfare system in Great Britain.
This colossal sum is expected to account for 10.6% of GDP and nearly a quarter of all government spending. A significant portion, approximately 55%, is allocated to pensioners, with £177.8 billion earmarked for pensioner benefits including the State Pension.
For working-age adults and children, the Labour Government has allocated £145.3 billion, covering Universal Credit and other support. A further £76.9 billion is set for disabled people and those with health conditions, and £37.8 billion for housing benefit.
In total, nearly 24 million people across Great Britain receive at least one benefit, including 8.3 million on Universal Credit, 13 million pensioners on the State Pension, and 3.9 million receiving Personal Independence Payment (PIP).
Political Hurdles and Practical Challenges
The proposal for a restricted payment card faces significant political and practical obstacles. The previous Conservative government encountered fierce criticism from charities and campaigners for a similar plan to replace PIP cash payments with vouchers.
The current Labour administration is reviewing PIP eligibility but has already assured the public it will not be swapping cash for vouchers, making a shift to a payment card highly unlikely for this benefit.
Applying such a system to Universal Credit would be fraught with difficulty due to the diverse and unpredictable needs of recipients, from covering energy bills to travel costs for job interviews. The State Pension, a contributory benefit earned through a lifetime of National Insurance payments, presents another clear hurdle, as it is fundamentally different from means-tested support.
Ultimately, while the petition taps into ongoing debates about welfare responsibility, the complexity of the benefits system and the varied needs of millions of claimants suggest a one-size-fits-all 'essentials only' card is a deeply problematic solution unlikely to gain political favour.
