New Delhi: Unemployed single parents are being provided with free massages and beauty treatments - paid for by taxpayers in UK, reported The Daily Mail.
Under UK Government’s backed scheme, the unemployed lots are being given free beauty parlour treats to 'boost their confidence'.
So far, over 1,000 people, mainly women, have taken advantage of 'pamper days' at salons as part of the project, called ‘Big Brother’. The government justifies it on the grounds that if jobless people are happier and more presentable, it will be easier for them to find work.
However, critics say the project is a sheer waste of public money. So far the project has cost taxpayers at least £60,000. The figure is likely to spiral even higher.
The scheme - in operation in Hereford, Worcester, Northumberland, Durham and Greater Manchester - is open to any single parent over the age of 18 who has been unemployed or on disability benefit for at least six months. They can choose from a range of treatments, including a massage, a haircut, new make-up, a facial, a manicure and even ear-piercing.
They can also claim a separate £30 handout to spend on a shopping trip for new clothes, and are eligible for free lunches and childcare.
The Big Brother scheme is run by Inspire2Independence, a private company based in York. A teenage girl who works in a salon used by the single parents was critical of the initiative. “They didn't look like they needed their confidence boosting - they were all very loud,” the girl was quoted by The Daily Mail.
“They seemed to have a really good time. One of them was talking into her mobile phone and laughing and joking with a friend about how she was still drunk from the night before when she woke up that morning. Many of them had tattoos and were wearing crop-tops,” she added.
With excerpts from The Daily Mail
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