In our capital city, inequality is widening and the housing crisis is getting worse. Pay for key workers remains poor, while the city's hardworking families face new hardships. Millions of Londoners have fallen through the gaps of government support schemes since the start of the pandemic.

It will take more than our outdated welfare system to help London households recover from the ongoing effects of the pandemic and the cost of living crisis.

But it's not just London. Cities across the UK are struggling to rebuild a fairer and greener economy. This can only happen if all citizens have access to a basic level of economic security.

The creation of a Universal Basic Income (UBI) – a regular and unconditional cash payment to every resident – could be an important part of the solution.

The evidence shows that unconditional cash payments reduce poverty and remove the stigma of means-tested benefits. They let people have greater control over their time. They give everyone the financial and mental bandwidth to unlock their potential.

Before the pandemic, the cost of poverty in the UK was a staggering £78 billion a year. It's time to try something new.

From Catalonia to California, cities around the world are piloting UBI. They've found that their citizens live happier and healthier lives, with more time devoted to education, family and wellbeing. Now a new YouGov poll shows that 50% of Londoners support UBI too.

A UBI would allow us to build resilience into London's communities and high streets. It would boost the local economy, revitalising our independent businesses and creative industries. It would make our city fairer, giving every Londoner the chance to participate.

A Universal Basic Income could be our generation's NHS.

The London Assembly has already completed a first stage evaluation of UBI, and 30 councils across the UK have passed motions backing pilots. The Welsh Government will launch a basic income pilot this summer.

Now is the time for action.

I am calling on candidates for councillor to:

- Support calls to pilot Universal Basic Income in my community

- Lobby the Mayor of London and the government

- Work across-parties for a fairer and greener economy, that includes piloting a Universal Basic Income