Universal Basic Income in Wales
In the News
Just read about this being trialled in Wales:
Universal basic income to be tested in Wales https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-57120354
Do you think it’ll be a good thing or bad thing?
As much as a I like the idea we live in the real world and currently we are borrowing and have huge debts even with the current low level of benefits. We need to restore our trading surplus and live within our means and pay back our huge debts which is a huge burden on our economy.
To me this is just madness people expecting to live well and create huge debts that they expect our children and grandchildren to pay for us which ultimately is theft.
So no politicians should be focused almost exclusively in sorting out the economy and paying back well over £2 trillion of debt which we currently have to service with huge interest payments.
BonzoBanana I see what you're saying, but this would give me more money for better wine
TheChimp It might do for a while but like most debt it will catch up with you in the end. You wonder why poor countries in Africa don't just decide to be rich instead and start paying themselves lots of money and enjoy a fantastic life of travel, fine food etc.
I think the universal basic income is a great idea and I’m excited and interested to see how exactly it’s put in place in Wales
The concept has been around for a long time. It was even advocated by Martin Luther King as a way to abolish poverty.
A European Citizens Initiative was launched last year to make a Basic Income mandatory in EU countries. I believe Ireland are considering a trial similar to Wales.
Many countries already operate a conditional basic income, which is targeted rather than universal. I think this may ultimately be the adopted measure.
Great idea, would cut down a lot of pointless civil servant jobs and give people the freedom to work in a field that interests them. Only down side are the individuals that need additional support.
It would be the same money used to provide benefits like IS,ESA,JSA, RP,CA, PC to list a few, payments, administration and fraud. To me it more a question of how much and why it was not this way to start with. Provide the basic finance to exist and work for the luxury, instead of working for the basics. Carrot and the Carrot.
Universal basic income is a great idea.... Wouldn't it be great if everyone was entitled to it for an X amount of years.... eg 1-3 years.(not sure what would be a fair amount though) Based on a fair value of that time. I wouldn't say forever though. Once its used up. Its used up. So people will think carefully. How and when they want to use it.
Someone can use it while taking care of elderly parents, an autistic kid, or a new born, grieve, or to start a new project. Or just burnt out or take up a skill to learn something more in demand in this time where change is inevitable. (You are a student for life not just at uni...)
Some peoples struggles comes earlier in life, and some later....
Technically this sounds more like a sinking fund but the idea should be to make the world more fairer from the start of the race.
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