If signed into law, the legislature would make it obligatory for 18-to-26-year-olds to live away from their natural home for a year and take part in one or more public services including “charitable work, social action, care for the elderly or disabled, overseas development activity, or work connected with the National Health Service, the emergency services or the Armed Forces.”

The new regulations would mean able young adults at the end of high school or college, looking toward university education or starting a new career, will be forced into public service for the national minimum wage, or, face criminal charges.

During the 2010 general election campaign, UK PM David Cameron pledged to require every 16-year-old to take part in a “non-military national service” scheme.

Cameron mentioned the scheme again in mid-August 2011 after thousands of people wrecked stores, attacked passers-by and set buildings alight in a wave of unrest in the capital London and several major cities across England.

Britain had a national service, also called the War Service or Military Service, for the first time during World War I from 1916 to 1919 and then twenty years later just after the start of World War II from 1939 to 1960.