Prime Minister Gordon Brown set out plans for a new "contract out of poverty" which could see jobless families being paid thousands of pounds for finding work and keeping their children out of trouble.
The "benefit bonus" payments - based on a US scheme - would be handed to deprived parents for meeting a range of good citizenship targets.
Mr Brown said they would allow families to escape "the daily injustices of poverty" as part of what he termed the Opportunity Revolution.
Speaking to the Welsh Labour Party conference in Llandudno, the Prime Minister said: "Today - for individual families to escape the daily injustices of poverty - I propose new Contracts out of Poverty.
"Matching new opportunities to support their children with new responsibilities to take up work, to acquire new skills, to make the most of their lives. Support for parents who undergo a skills audit and take up training to improve their job prospects.
"Ensuring that work pays and is a route out of poverty for couples and lone parents.
"Individual contracts between families and government showing in this generation the power of opportunity to change lives for good."
Aides said that, alongside extra cash for getting a job and re-training, people could be rewarded for ensuring children attend school and visit the dentist regularly.
They could also get windfalls for attending parents' evenings and helping out at schools.
Under the original Opportunity NYC initiative in New York, families can claim up to £3,000 a year for three years.
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