Universal basic income in the United Kingdom
[1][5] A public petition on the UK government website that ran for six months from 16 March 2020 to 16 September 2020 calling for universal basic income during the course of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom raised over 114,000 signatures.[6] Thomas Paine, an English-American philosopher and revolutionary, proposed a system whereby all citizens, when reaching adulthood, should be given an equal amount of money from the state.In 1972 the Cabinet of Edward Heath put forward a proposal for a tax-credit scheme which resembled a citizen's income in some ways but did not cover the whole of the population.[18] In January 2016, the sole MP of the Green Party of England and Wales, Caroline Lucas, tabled a motion in the British Parliament, calling on the Government to commission research into the effects of a universal basic income and examine its feasibility to replace the UK's existing social security system.[23] In March 2020, a combined total of over 170 opposition politicians from MPs and Lords, called for the UK government to implement a universal basic income during the coronavirus pandemic in the United Kingdom.[36] It advocated replacing a swathe of UK means-tested benefits with a single universal payment as a response to the changing landscape of work and an ageing population.Sums at this level, paid without condition, would significantly improve the living standards and life chances of millions of people and ... are affordable."In May 2019, a report by Professor Guy Standing, commissioned by the Progressive Economic Forum and forwarded to John McDonnell (the acting Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer) suggested different models for piloting basic income.In 2018, the Scottish Government agreed to provide £250,000 to undertake initial research on the feasibility of a basic income pilot, making use of experience and expertise from four areas of the country: Glasgow, Edinburgh and the regions of Fife and North Ayrshire.However, the report also noted that there were "substantive and complex legislative and delivery barriers to piloting a CBI", given that Scottish Parliamentary powers were limited in their ability to make the needed changes to the social security system (which were determined at the UK Parliament in Westminster).[53] In October 2020, Wales' Future Generations Commissioner Sophie Howe recommended that a universal basic income and a shorter working week should be piloted by the next Welsh Government.[54] A 2023 report produced by the think tank Autonomy proposed a trial of basic income of £1,600 a month in Jarrow, in north-east England, and East Finchley, in north London.[56][57] The Welsh government established a basic income project in 2022, focussed on those leaving care, a group that was identified as one that could benefit from extra financial help."From 1 July 2022, more than 500 people leaving care in Wales will be offered £1600 each month (before tax) for two years to support them as they make the transition to adult life.""[62][63] Ian Goldin, Professor of Globalisation and Development at the University of Oxford, has written against UBI claiming it "will lead to higher inequality and poverty" and "undermine social cohesion.[74] It features welfare advisors, philosophers, economists and many basic income advocates including Guy Standing, George Monbiot, David Graeber and A. C. Grayling.Founded in Sheffield in 2016, the UBI Lab Network is made up of "a growing number of grassroots groups set up to examine the idea’s potential impact within a certain area and explore the launching of pilot schemes.
United Kingdomuniversal basic incomeGreen Party of England and WalesScottish National PartyScottish GreensScottish Socialist PartyLabourStarmerLiberal DemocratsPlaid Cymrucoronavirus pandemicYouGovCOVID-19 pandemic in the United KingdomThomas PaineAgrarian JusticeSpeenhamland systemSpeenhamlandWilliam Pitt the YoungerBertrand RussellC.H. DouglasSocial Creditmonetary reformbasic incomeBeveridge reportnegative income taxStephen HawkingCaroline LucasJohn McDonnellNew StatesmanJonathan ReynoldsClive Lewiscoronavirus pandemic in the United KingdomConservative governmentChancellor of the ExchequerRishi Sunak2021 Senedd electionWelsh LabourWelsh ParliamentMark DrakefordFirst Minister of WalesGreat BritainSavanta ComResNew Economics FoundationUniversal CreditThe Trussell TrustScottish GovernmentGlasgowEdinburghNorth Ayrshirerandomised controlled studychild povertyRoyal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and CommerceLiverpoolSophie HoweWelsh GovernmentNick BolesJames MeadeGuy StandingprecariatCarole PatemanThe Future of Work and DeathAmazon PrimeGeorge MonbiotDavid GraeberA. C. GraylingCOVID-19 lockdownsThe Green PartyBasic Income Earth NetworkTony AtkinsonAilsa McKayThe IndependentLeft Foot ForwardBasic income modelsCitizen's dividendFreedom dividendGuaranteed minimum incomeJobless recoveryMincomeReal freedomRight to an adequate standard of livingTechnological unemploymentUniversal basic income pilotsUniversal inheritanceBasic Income AllianceBasic Income PartyBreakthrough PartyFive Star MovementForward PartyFusion PartyGénération.sGreen PartyLeft AllianceMein GrundeinkommenMERA25Party of HumanistsPeople Animals NaturePirate PartyPodemosPolitical Party for Basic IncomeReCivitasSustainable Australia PartyVivantVolt EuropaAdvocatesC. H. DouglasMilton FriedmanJuliet Rhys-WilliamsAnthony BarberRutger BregmanÉtienne ChouardHarry F. DahmsUffe ElbækAndré GorzSepp KusstatscherEduardo SuplicyPhilippe Van ParijsChristopher PissaridesClaus OffeKatja KippingGötz WernerRichard David PrechtValter MuttAnnika LillemetsOsmo SoininvaaraLi AnderssonSusanne Wiest