Every family should be handed shopping vouchers worth £500 per adult and £250 per child, a think tank says.
The Resolution Foundation wants the £30billion handout from Chancellor Rishi Sunak to lift struggling high streets.
The vouchers would be valid in areas such as face-to-face retail, hospitality and tourism, over a year.
The foundation says the giveaway would boost demand, helping firms and workers.
It would be part of a proposed £17billion jobs support programme which would include £5billion of investment into social care, ensuring employment for 180,000 care workers and making sure care staff are paid at least the real Living Wage.
The call comes as Britain got its first glimpse last week of the predicted jobs meltdown – with more than 12,000 axed in the space of 24 hours.
Business and union leaders fear redundancies will soar as the Government furlough scheme is scaled down next month.
The Chancellor is now considering the proposal ahead of his financial statement on Wednesday, Mr Sunak is under pressure to extend the scheme in the hardest hit sectors, saving millions of jobs.
It currently pays up to 80 per cent of more than 12 million people’s salaries and has already cost £25billion.
Resolution’s James Smith said: “A voucher for only these sectors would support the businesses that need help most.”
