Canada to trial basic income

[sutty27]

It's actually cheaper to pay everyone an income than it is to means test individuals. Daft as it sounds this move will save money.

 

I find that hard to believe and it will also put thousands of people out of work.

 

To cut all forms of means testing would mean every household would have to be given about £25,000 a year and that works out at £662,500,000,000.

 

UK government tax receipts for 2014–15 £648.000,000,000

[Orzel]

I find that hard to believe and it will also put thousands of people out of work.

 

To cut all forms of means testing would mean every household would have to be given about £25,000 a year and that works out at £662,500,000,000.

 

UK government tax receipts for 2014–15 £648.000,000,000

 

Oh, c'mon we can print some more money can we?

It's not like money represents outcome of someone's work, it's just a piece of paper that you print and sucks value out of thin air.

[I1L2T3]

I find that hard to believe and it will also put thousands of people out of work.

 

To cut all forms of means testing would mean every household would have to be given about £25,000 a year and that works out at £662,500,000,000.

 

UK government tax receipts for 2014–15 £648.000,000,000

 

I think when the Greens costed this it was for the equivalent of unemployment benefit per adult, plus child benefit. The cost was pretty neutral compared to current benefits spend. The citizens income removes practically all other benefits.

 

Coupled with a simple tax regime it would more than likely incentivise work not prevent it.

[sutty27]

I think when the Greens costed this it was for the equivalent of unemployment benefit per adult, plus child benefit. The cost was pretty neutral compared to current benefits spend. The citizens income removes practically all other benefits.

 

Coupled with a simple tax regime it would more than likely incentivise work not prevent it.

 

They obviously did something wrong in their calculations, the only way to remove means testing is to put every household on the maximum benefits that is allowed, and that was caped at £26,000 but I think its come down to £23,000.

 

Just had a quick looks at the Greens idea, they propose £80 a week, but benefit are capped at £500 a week which must mean some people will have to be means tested and given more or will they be made to go without.

 

From the OP link.

If the people vote yes, a monthly stipend of anything up to £1,700 could be paid to every single resident.

 

That amount would cost the UK £1,300,000,000,000 that's slightly below the UK's national debt paid out each year.

Edited March 9, 2016 by sutty27

[I1L2T3]

They obviously did something wrong in their calculations, the only way to remove means testing is to put every household on the maximum benefits that is allowed, and that was caped at £26,000 but I think its come down to £23,000.

 

Just had a quick looks at the Greens idea, they propose £80 a week, but benefit are capped at £500 a wee OKk which must mean some people will have to be means tested and given more or will they be made to go without.

 

I'd imagine in theory some people could be topped up. People like carers and the disabled. But overall such a system would be massively simpler and need less people to run it.

 

I don't think the Greens have got it right to be fair and obviously such a system would need careful thought and would have to be right for the UK.

 

The alternative is a benefits and tax system that gets more complex every year. Nobody can support the current system. It's a nonsense and we need to consider alternatives.

[sutty27]

I'd imagine in theory some people could be topped up. People like carers and the disabled. But overall such a system would be massively simpler and need less people to run it.

 

I don't think the Greens have got it right to be fair and obviously such a system would need careful thought and would have to be right for the UK.

 

The alternative is a benefits and tax system that gets more complex every year. Nobody can support the current system. It's a nonsense and we need to consider alternatives.

 

Topping up would require complicated means testing so would defeat the objective.

 

I'm under the impression that it will be much simpler when Universal credits are fully operational.

[Cyclone]

Talk about a third worlder magnet.

 

Who comes up with these retarded ideas?

 

Canada has strict immigration controls, much like we do.

[sutty27]

Canada has strict immigration controls, much like we do.

 

:hihi:

[Cyclone]

In Britain, the think tank Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce has proposed a system of universal income that would give a basic amount to fit, working-age people that it believes would still give a strong incentive to these people to work. It suggests providing an income of £3,692 for all qualifying citizens between 25 and 65, or £308 per month.

 

That's one recommendation for the UK, it clearly doesn't replace all benefits though, that wouldn't even pay for rent for most people unless they were in a couple.

[onewheeldave]

I'm under the impression that it will be much simpler when Universal credits are fully operational.

 

You're very, very wrong. Universal credits are a mess- currently not working at all well, and unlikely to in the future.

 

---------- Post added 09-03-2016 at 11:32 ----------

 

Canada are to trial a universal basic income. With several other European countries also considering the idea, it looks like there's a growing movement gathering pace.

 

http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/now-canada-is-trying-a-basic-income-britain-can-ignore-it-no-longer-a6919486.html

 

At last

 

One of the main positives about universal basic income is that it makes benefit fraud entirely impossible.

 

Of course, once benefit fraud is impossible, it means that the disabled/those on benefits can't be (generally falsely) accused of fraud and then scapegoated and used as distractions from the real fraudsters; so, I guess a lot of people will oppose it.

 

But, best of luck to this, and, hopefully, it will be a success and if so, rolled out everywhere.

Edited March 9, 2016 by onewheeldave