Brits could get £1,600 a month without having to work – but there's a catch | The Sun
BRITS could receive £1,600 a month without having to work under a new trial that hopes to tackles poverty.
Universal Basic Income will see some people from across the UK get paid the set salary for two years, regardless of their circumstances.
The money will be given to people in Jarrow, in north-east England, and East Finchley in North London.
Anyone from the areas can put themselves forward, though only 30 people will be approved to take part in the trial.
Researchers from the think tank Autonomy are looking for financial backing for the two-year pilot programme that will monitor the participants to see how the money changes their lives.
Cleo Goodman, co-founder of Basic Income Conversation said: "No one should ever be facing poverty, having to choose between heating and eating, in one of the wealthiest countries in the world."
Read more on Money
Eight viral home hacks renters MUST avoid – or risk losing thousands of pounds
I tried instant lattes including Starbucks – a 95p supermarket dupe was better
Will Stonge, director of research at Autonomy, said: "All the evidence shows that [a UBI] would directly alleviate poverty and boost millions of people's wellbeing: the potential benefits are just too large to ignore."
The trial is being supported by the charity Big Local and Northumbria University.
Last year hundreds of teens leaving care were in line to be paid under a similar scheme that took place in Wales.
The Universal Basic Income trial by the Welsh government was set to provide 500 children £1,600 for 24 months when they turned 18, to cover basic food and clothing costs.
Most read in Money
Brit workers in line for 2p tax cut will have to wait until next April
Hidden price rise for BBQrevealed as Brits face ‘cost of grilling crisis’
Little-known way Universal Credit households can get a one-off £812 payment
Supermarket giant cuts prices onessentials across 800 stores – see full list
What is Universal Basic Income (UBI)?
The idea of UBI is that it provides every person with a basic amount of money to live on, regardless of their circumstances.
It is a proposed blanket handout paid to all.
This is regardless of their age or whether they were in or out of work covering basic food and clothing costs.
It would be different from the current welfare system, which offers benefits like Universal Credit based on factors such as how much you earn and who you live with.
There is no single, universally accepted model of how UBI could work in practice.
Exactly how UBI works, like how much you get, would depend on how such a scheme was designed.
Some believe it should replace the current benefits system altogether, while others believe it should include some parts, so a basic amount for all and then extra that is means-tested.
Currently there are no UBI schemes in the UK other than this new trial and the the pilot in Wales.
There have only been a handful of trials of universal basic income, including Finland, the Netherlands and Spain recently, and no country has a full UBI in place.
Source: Read Full Article