Churches and Christian organisations have accused the Government of failing to understand the poor as Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith announced tough sanctions to get more of the unemployed back into work.
Under the plans, the unemployed face losing their Jobseeker’s Allowance – worth £64.45 a week – for up to three years if they refuse to accept a job or take up a period of community work.
The measures are part of a package designed to simplify the universal benefit system by cutting out separate means tests for housing, income benefits and tax credits.
The controversial sanctions are due to come into place in 2013.
The Church of Scotland, Methodist Church and Baptist Union of Great Britain welcomed efforts to simplify the benefits system but said they were concerned that the proposed reforms were based on “inaccurate assumptions” of the poor.
The Rev Alison Tomlin, President of the Methodist Conference, said there was a serious danger that people living in poverty would be “stigmatised” as lazy or workshy by the measures.
“The Government seems to assume that if people are forced into working they will comply and their lives will be made better,” she said.
“The poor we meet are seeking to better their lives in difficult circumstances.
“They are willing to work, but face difficulties in finding jobs, in meeting caring responsibilities and in living on the wages offered.”
The Rev Ian Galloway, Convener of the Church and Society Council of the Church of Scotland, echoed her sentiments. He said the Government should be focused on training, job-creation and support for new enterprise, rather than "stigmatising" unemployed people.
“By constantly singling out the poorest and most vulnerable people in society as the cause of the problem, the Government is creating a false divide between the affluent and the poor,” he said.
