The Archbishop of Canterbury has given a stark assessment of Britain's current state warning that austerity is 'crushing the weak' with a 'schism' created by Brexit that the most vulnerable are falling into.

Previewing his new book, Reimagining Britain,Justin Welby said that 'divisions and inequalities' are 'damaging our way of life'.

'Brexit has divided the country and we now need a new narrative,' he said, writing for the Mail on Sunday.

'There is a danger that there is a schism in our society into which the most vulnerable are falling. Austerity is crushing the weak, the sick and many others.'

Welby's book is due out next week and offers a wholesale analysis of Britain's current state and says the country is facing the biggest crisis since 1945 in the aftermath of the Second World War.

The archbishop, who announced before the 2016 referendum he would vote 'Remain', said there is a once in a generation opportunity to reimagine our values as a country.

'Welcoming strangers to our own country and integrating them into our own culture is important,' he said.

'We must be generous and allow ourselves to change with the newcomers and create a deeper, richer way of life.'

The archbishop also called on the government to tackle the housing crisis and warned of the importance of creating new communities. He added: 'We must build proper homes – and have a housing policy that is about creating communities, not just bricks and mortar.'