Welfare cuts have fuelled rise of far right and populism, top UN expert says
October 31, 2025
Exclusive: Poverty rapporteur says governments must rethink welfare state as essential to fabric of society
Exclusive: Poverty rapporteur says governments must rethink welfare state as essential to fabric of society
The referendum for a basic income pilot project has failed.
A new basic income pilot will pay low-income New Yorkers $12,000 in cryptocurrency to help them invest in big expenses like education and housing.
By Kim Ji-seop See original post here. President Lee Jae-myung’s flagship policy, the ‘basic income’ pilot project, is proceeding after being exempted from a preliminary
A nonprofit agency that helps the world’s poorest households is launching a guaranteed minimum income program in Mercer County.
The headline findings of a public consultation on Ireland’s Basic Income for the Arts initiative shows 97% of the wider public and the arts sector support making the scheme permanent.
The work of early child educators goes far beyond the walls of the classroom; we support the emotional and mental health of the children and families we serve, yet many teachers go home after a long day unable to make ends meet.
Via The Journal Of Music: The Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport, Patrick O’Donovan, has published the latest report on the Basic Income for the Arts pilot.
By: María Fernanda Bernal Read original story here. A new report finds that the city of Alameda’s guaranteed income pilot program has been effective in helping low-income
The latest JOLTS report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed that the ratio of job vacancies to unemployed workers fell below 1 to 0.99 in July, the lowest since April 2021, when the ratio was 0.96.
The US town that pays every pregnant woman $1,500: ‘We’re not OK with our babies being born into poverty’ See original post here: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/sep/15/rx-kids-flint-michigan-pregnancy When
Since launching in 2024, Philly Joy Bank has given more than $2.2M in cash assistance.
By Annie Lowrey Read original post here: https://archive.ph/vegfb In 2023, the United States produced $28 trillion worth of goods and services. The average family had a net worth
To save the lives of infants and small children living in low- and middle-income countries, there are a handful of tried and tested tools, like anti-malarial drugs, bed nets and vaccines. The results from a massive experiment in rural Kenya suggests another: cash.
Experts are enthusiastic about poverty reductions achieved under former Mexican president Andrés Manuel López Obrador
According to the Stanford Basic Income Lab, universal basic income is a periodic cash payment that is given to individuals unconditionally, requiring no work requirement or sanctions to access.
Company executives are talking openly about headcount reductions, and the jobs numbers are beginning to show the effects.
Artificial intelligence—a productivity-maximizing tool to some and an untamable threat to others—has asked similar questions of the social contract in the 21st century, and the optimists appear to be winning the day.
The program will see 20 families receive monthly economic assistance, wrap-around services, and programming sessions with community partners, according to a release.
Artificial intelligence is reshaping the US job market — and young tech workers are feeling the brunt of it.
The council members emphasized the transformative impact of the GBI program, citing examples of families who were able to secure food and housing stability, and survivors of domestic violence who found the means to escape abusive situations. Read the full article here:
Running to lead California, Zoltan Istvan said the state needs Universal Basic Income and robots before jobs begin to vanish.
Despite their projected or proven benefits, fiscal and political concerns may continue to slow or even prevent the widespread adoption of UBI and GBI programs in the near future.
A procession of mothers wearing red sashes, pushing strollers and tending to toddlers, made their way Friday to a little festival in Flint, Michigan, where families received diapers and kids played.
“If you’re stuck in a rut, it’s expensive to restart. In this country, it’s expensive to be poor.”
The government-backed personalised budgets trial could shape the future of homelessness support with one former rough sleeper describing receiving the cash as like ‘winning the lottery’
How we forget, too, how warm and friendly were the staff in the old place before it was taken over by tech-minded – and yes, penny-pinching – newcomers.
One of the region’s diversion funds, which helps residents at risk of sleeping outside, is running low on money.
Experts divided on whether AI threatens junior or senior workers more
While the term ‘universal basic income’ has yet to appear in any official Chinese policy documents, the idea may soon become less foreign
The best way for the government to foster financial well-being is by changing the existing safety net to get more cash in the hands of low- and moderate-income households.
With big accountancy and finance firms turning to tech rather than graduates, even those with ‘useful’ degrees find their prospects diminishes
Guaranteed income did more than just pay my bills. It restored my sense of control. It gave me the power to imagine a future again and then start building it.
Converted from Civil Rights, Equity, Immigration, Aging and Disability Committee
A Georgia program gave women $850, no strings attached. The results? More stability, opportunity, and a push for statewide policy change.
In an interview with Bloomberg’s “The Circuit with Emily Chang” on Thursday, Benioff said that AI is doing “30% to 50%” of the work at Salesforce.
It was announced today that the Basic Income for the Arts Scheme was extended by 6 months into February by Minister for Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media Patrick O’Donovan.
Hundreds of Newark residents were each given thousands of dollars with no work requirements. Here’s where the money went, a new report says.
A minimum income guarantee could be piloted in Scotland following next year’s Holyrood elections.
The rise of AI agents is having an effect on entry-level positions
The arithmetic is sobering. Current projections suggest millions of workers face displacement within this decade.
The news came after the program, initially called Uplift Harris and later revamped as the Community Prosperity Program, drew multiple lawsuits and allegations of “lottery socialism” from conservative lawmakers.
In late May, Sen. Kim Pate introduced Bill S-206, which calls upon the federal government to develop a financial framework for a Guaranteed Livable Basic Income.
A basic income program for the arts in Ireland ends in August after three years.
Consultations and workshops are holding up a basic income grant in South Africa.
A three-way partnership between AI phone support company Phonely, inference optimization platform Maitai, and chip maker Groq has achieved a breakthrough that addresses one of conversational artificial intelligence’s most persistent problems: the awkward delays that immediately signal to callers they’re talking to a machine.
Running to lead California, Zoltan Istvan said the state needs Universal Basic Income and robots before jobs begin to vanish.
UpTogether told us: “Here’s money that we know folks need. You figure out how it works best for your family.”
In a huge win for families across the state, a bill to ban guaranteed income failed to pass the Texas Legislature.
The Welsh basic income pilot for care leavers has come to an end, but its effects have been profound
New data confirms it: Companies are hiring less in roles that AI can do
Public policy experts at Northumbria University, whose research focuses on welfare reform as a means of tackling poverty and inequality, are preparing for the publication of a new book which examines the case for the introduction of a Basic Income.
LinkedIn’s chief economic opportunity officer, Aneesh Raman, said artificial intelligence is increasingly threatening the types of jobs that historically have served as stepping stones for young workers who are just beginning their careers. He likened the disruption to the decline of manufacturing in the 1980s.
Middleton Cooperating is among the organisations leading the campaign
The Minister for Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport, Patrick O’Donovan TD is today publishing a report that has collected and analysed the experiences of the Basic Income for the Arts (BIA) recipients.
When Amazon unveiled its new Vulcan touch-sensing warehouse robot last week, it framed the technology as a way to make frontline jobs safer and easier.
While the world burns around us, maybe we can provide for residents a modicum of stability.
By: Preston ForeSee original article here. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei has predicted that AI will be doing all coding tasks by next year—but an existential crisis is already
AI will do the thinking, robots will do the doing. What place do humans have in this arrangement – and do tech CEOs care? By:
By: F. Amanda Tugade Read original post here. Kelli Wright’s duplex may be a short drive from her old apartment, but the distance felt like
Vulcan device ‘capable of grabbing three-quarters of items in warehouses’ fuels fears of mass job losses See original post here. Amazon said it has made
More than 20 lawmakers want to see states play a larger role in the programs meant to fight poverty. By: Kevin Hardy See original post here
By Anna Bauman, Jack Lee See original post here. Tremon Chandler, a 25-year-old from Ohio, moved to San Francisco four years ago with $3,000 in his pocket
Original article here. By: Greg Childress A bill barring North Carolina cities and counties from adopting or enforcing guaranteed income programs won approval in the state
Community colleges play a critical role in addressing California’s persistent demand for healthcare workers, preparing students to become the state’s next generation of nurses, medical assistants and physical therapy aides.
Uplift Harris was intended to provide direct financial assistance to up to 1,500 families living at 200% below the poverty line, according to an overview document published by Precinct 1.
Oakland’s pilot guaranteed income program — one of the largest in the country — allowed participants to stay housed and get employment, according to a study of the initiative released Tuesday.
An Impact Study of the Returning Citizens Stimulus Program
When Vanessa Munsey applied for the state’s first guaranteed income program almost three years ago, she was living out of her car with her infant and three-year-old son.
Council agrees to use weed tax revenue basic income pilot program
The White House has a plan that sounds strikingly similar to a universal basic income scheme, or UBI.
Advocates argue that a well-designed UBI would streamline welfare payments, lift millions out of poverty, and increase financial security for workers—ultimately benefiting the broader economy.
The first long-term study on the unconditional basic income in Germany shows that it improves people’s happiness and mental health. Despite the financial support, recipients do not reduce their working hours more than others.
Adrienne Adams, the New York City Council speaker who is running for mayor, released a plan to provide guaranteed income for thousands of homeless families.
With federal funding for guaranteed income spent, a committee will determine what’s next for the county program.
In the midst of it all and just 29 years old, she was diagnosed with breast cancer.
BHA’s new “Resident Opportunity Initiative” is an expansion of its existing “Self Sufficiency Program” which is geared toward helping residents establish long-term financial stability.
Figures like Martin Luther King Jr. and Richard Nixon supported versions of UBI.
The payments would be $1,400, or the adjusted fair market rent, per month for up to three years.
Members of a multidisciplinary team of researchers are beginning a two-year study to examine the case for transformative welfare policy and the impact on public health outcomes.
At the moment, expertise remains “rare,” Gates explained, pointing to human specialists we still rely on in many fields, including “a great doctor” or “a great teacher.”
Now that the Trump and Vance administration has taken office, we are eager for them to fulfill their promises of an enhanced Child Tax Credit.
Many independent candidates are running in the federal election, although they have little chance of making it in the German parliament.
I asked so many Americans to tell me what the American Dream personally meant to them, and I wrote it all down.
This legislation seeks to address economic disparities and the growing concerns surrounding job displacement due to automation.
If we are to find alternative ways to tackle poverty, we need to be able to test ideas like UBI efficiently and effectively.
“I don’t own a house. My IRA is long gone. The only thing my kids are likely to inherit right now is a pretty good object lesson in what not to do financially.”
By Ashley Belanger See original post here. OpenAI is hoping that Donald Trump’s AI Action Plan, due out this July, will settle copyright debates by
The Greens’ most recent stint in government may have ended in tears for the party, but their legacy of securing a basic universal income for artists has been hailed as one of the most transformative events for the Irish arts industry in decades.
Former Vice President Kamala Harris showed up at a conference about artificial intelligence this week to urge the people most invested in it to work on two more organic features: trust and empathy.
The threat of a recession has prompted renewed calls for some kind of income support from labour and social justice groups.
Burns tries to stretch every dollar to maximize their quality of life on the family’s limited income.
GiveDirectly has delivered more than $800 million to over 1.6 million people, primarily in Sub-Saharan Africa. Now it is experimenting with, and learning from, cash payments to recipients in the United States.
In 2023 alone, $3.9 trillion was sapped from the bottom 90 percent— enough to give every worker a $32,000 raise.
Over half of Canadians feel “financially paralyzed” by the cost-of-living crisis, according to a recent poll. As life becomes more unaffordable for more people, we need governments to create policies that will improve public health and well-being.
California started a $35 million guaranteed income program in 2023, giving people monthly checks for 12 to 18 months with no requirements on how to spend them. Now, some lawmakers are looking to find permanent funding for it.
Permanent staff are not affected by the cuts. The bank’s outgoing chief executive Piyush Gupta also said it expected to create around 1,000 new AI-related jobs.
Six hundred dollars a month was the boost some formerly incarcerated people needed to rent apartments, cover unexpected expenses, and land steady jobs.
House Bill 604 represents a significant shift in how guaranteed income programs may be approached in Montana, emphasizing state control over local initiatives.
Some say Cymru can’t afford independence nor afford to adopt a Universal Basic Income. But neither is a unicorn dream and together they could end poverty
A cash-assistance program for expectant moms and babies, which first began in Flint more than a year ago, is growing its reach to hundreds more families across Michigan.
The PBO analysis says the number of hours worked by guaranteed income recipients could drop slightly — up to 1.4 per cent.
Musk is already hinting at sharing Doge savings while nation is still massively in debt with Republicans planning a huge tax cut
Federal workers in Kansas City whose jobs were eliminated under the Trump administration’s massive budget cuts will have a hard time finding comparable work in the area. Instability in the city’s workforce could lead to a recession.
The basic income pilot program was announced in 2023, as part of the provincial government’s poverty reduction strategy.
In 2021, the parliamentary budget officer published an analysis suggesting it would cost $85 billion to provide $17,000 to low-income Canadian families and would cut poverty rates in half.
In this Q&A, Hemel assesses the current state of basic income programs, considers what critics get right and wrong about UBI, and shares what he hopes that his upcoming course will accomplish.
Academics and campaigners have proposed a new basic income for Greater Manchester after mayor Andy Burnham vowed to introduce one in the city region
A new pilot proposal has been launched for a groundbreaking scheme which experts say could eventually end absolute poverty in Greater Manchester, as well as improve the health and wellbeing of millions of people.
UBI Taiwan hosted a press conference to spotlight the progress of its basic income pilot program for single-parent households.
We need to ensure all Canadians have the economic security to feel like this country is a home worth fighting for, or the same disgruntled forces that brought Trump into office in the U.S. will surely rip apart the fabric of the Canadian dream, Tom Cooper writes.
How to Save a Saving Grace? Guaranteed income programs specifically target people from socioeconomic backgrounds more likely to experience poverty and homelessness.
The Alaska Permanent Fund, which distributes money to Alaska residents annually, could be a model. Challenges include funding sources, legislative hurdles, and state-owned natural resources.
Alternatives North is advocating for the NWT government to introduce a basic income guarantee program, which it says could eliminate poverty.
According to a leaked document from its January 2025 lekgotla, the ANC supports phasing in a basic income grant (BIG) this year.
Welfare almost always comes with strings attached. Imagine what would happen if it didn’t.
Government ordered to “progressively increase” the grant and income threshold, and allow in-person applications
Growing wealth inequality in the UK could be a “major driver of societal collapse” within the next decade, according to a new report.
American billionaire investor casually proclaimed that AI must “crash” everyone’s wages before it can deliver us an economic utopia.
Human beings are not game pieces. We are not theoretical abstractions. We are animals. And like all animals we have needs that must be met or we will suffer greatly and die.
A New York-based initiative called The Bridge Project that gives no-strings-attached cash to pregnant women is expanding to Appalachia, promising a $10 million investment for families in West Virginia, Kentucky and Ohio over the next three years.
The motion contended the province’s current poverty reduction strategy lacks concrete plans to reach its lofty targets.
As America’s cities look to alleviate poverty, universal basic income has been proposed by local leaders as a complement to existing welfare.
Scott Santens is the founder and CEO of the U.S.-based Income to Support All (ITSA) Foundation, and has been researching and advocating for Universal Basic Income (UBI) since 2013.
Conceived as a stopgap measure to address unmet needs in some communities, food banks were first implemented on a large scale in Canada in the 1980s.
The AI Opportunities Action Plan includes growth zones where development will be focused, and the technology will be used to help tackle issues such as potholes.
Bosses expect some big disruptions from tech 2025-2030.
Universal programs are much easier to administer than means-tested ones.
Sam Altman says tools that carry out jobs autonomously, known as AI agents, could transform business output.
What if the best medicine isn’t a pill or vaccine — but it’s cold cash?
A universal basic income policy is simple yet transformative, writes Zack Polanski, deputy leader of the Green Party of England and Wales
Evidence from many countries shows that the administrative practices associated with conditions have a tendency towards discrimination and dehumanisation.
‘A good, solid basic income policy needs to be looked at strongly in Canada’
Narratives can inspire hope, spark change or, as in the case of Fox’s new animated series “Universal Basic Guys” (now streaming on Hulu) reduce transformative ideas to shallow stereotypes.
The people who would benefit the least from additional dollars have gained the most, while the people who would benefit the most from additional dollars have gained almost nothing.
President says failure may have contributed to voters blaming him for high prices even as economy improved
Universal here does not mean everyone in the society, but it refers to everyone who qualifies for it, irrespective of all other social assistance they receive.
Flint is the city that fights back, says Dr. Mona Hanna. She’s the Flint pediatrician who raised the alarm about the city’s water crisis.
Some recently homeless families in San Francisco will soon receive $1,000 every month as part of a new program funded in part by a $4.5 million investment from Google’s nonprofit arm.
The modified program would provide nearly 2,000 families living below 200 percent of the federal poverty line, who were already selected for the program, with $500 monthly payments through preloaded debit cards. Payments under the revised program were set to start going out in January.
Tribal communities disproportionately experience housing insecurity, poverty and worse health outcomes — disparities rooted in racism and discrimination, and forged by centuries of violence, cultural genocide and economic dispossession.
A shocking 64.7% of all South African households have expenditure on food per person that is below the food poverty line. Hunger creates a ticking time bomb which can be devastating when the fuse is lit.
Proposal Would Deliver $3 Billion by Taking Excess Sales Tax Revenue Driven by Inflation and Giving That Money Back to Everyday New Yorkers
Thirty-two Ohio mothers will receive the first of 12 payments of $500 this week.
The passing of a universal basic income law would be the first order of business for former Ilocos Sur governor Chavit Singson if he wins in the senatorial elections next year.
The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) decided Monday to revise its platform to include former leader Lee Jae-myung’s “basic society” welfare plan centering on guaranteeing universal basic income.
Campaign asks Canadians to top up their donations by calling for basic income
It has been shown to be an effective and immediate tool in reducing homelessness.
Recipients valued work more after receiving no-strings-attached recurring monthly payments, challenging a long-held argument against such programs.
Results of the GRIT pilot demonstrate that a modest, unrestricted cash investment can improve families’ financial stability, food security, well-being, and reduce poverty in our community.
The federal funds set aside to do community outreach ahead of the Chicago Resilient Communities pilot, which ended in 2023, could provide a road map for how the city serves residents, according to a recently released study.
In 2025, the the School of Social and Political Sciences (SSPS) at the University of Sydney will offer the first unit of study focused on Universal Basic Income (UBI) to be taught at a university in Australasia.
Led by King’s College London, study will recruit 360 people in England and Wales to explore benefits of scheme
The global environmental crisis, manifesting in the accelerated loss of biodiversity, is exacerbated by deep socio-economic inequalities.
The seven parties that have published arts plans in their manifestos have committed to continuing and expanding the BIA in some form.
A guaranteed basic income program that would pay 250 students at four Los Angeles Community College District colleges pursuing health careers $1,000 per month for 12 months is available today.
Recent concern about the uncertain impacts of artificial intelligence has fueled renewed discussion of universal basic income (UBI).
“We are not happy with what the government is doing right now: excluding a lot of people in the country who are not eligible for that Haraambe cash grant,” she said.
City Council voted 6-6 to earmark $2.5 million for the Denver Basic Income Project (DBIP) by amending Mayor Mike Johnston’s recent budget proposal.
The economy must provide sustainable welfare to stay within planetary boundaries. UBI and UBS show us the way
Oregon’s universal basic income measure failed, with 78.8% of voters opposing the policy.
In matters of social protection, please trust your instincts and do what your heart tells you!
Despite rejection at the Swiss level, Bern’s city council wants to pay a universal basic income (UBI) to 300 residents, a test project that will be a first for Switzerland.
46% of Brits back a UBI
We are expecting the data to show that the basic income in Maricá has a more positive effect on people’s health and education than the Bolsa Familia does.
Rostovsky, 33, was indicted on a variety of charges including fraudulent claims, grand theft, misappropriation of public funds, insurance fraud, perjury, and money laundering, according to the DA’s office.
David Westlake and Zoe Bezeczky reflect on the early findings from the Basic Income for Care Leavers in Wales evaluation
“growing inequality breeds social resentment and generates political instability. It also fuels populist, protectionist, and anti-globalization sentiments.”
A universal yearly tax rebate – with similar principles to UBI – could drastically improve life in this US state
Despite being (very) rich, conscientious millionaires and billionaires are calling for much higher wealth taxes to combat the rising inequality they see as a threat to democracy.
To fund the pilot, Salem is using a combined $688,500 from federal COVID-relief funds and a private contribution through UpTogether.
‘Hope goes a long way’: guaranteed income is a lifeline for ex-prisoners
Basic income is becoming a bipartisan issue in the US, with Covid child tax credit showing that it can be done
We have developed a model that can provide a global UBI through a ‘cap and share’ scheme for fossil fuels that also tackles climate change.
Tarli, 36, said cash payments helped him afford equipment for his hip hop career.
By PR Newswire See original post here. WASHINGTON, Oct. 1, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — More than one dozen academic studies have found guaranteed income programs led to several
Mark Drakeford stepped down as First Minister of Wales in March 2024. My first meeting with Mark Drakeford in 2010 was not auspicious.
BIG:LEAP found that monthly cash stipends helped abuse survivors leave their partners.
A report by Creatives Rebuild New York finds that recipients of its $1,000 monthly payment program saw increased financial stability and individual well-being.
Money—the type that can be spent on anything—has been out of favor as a method of helping impoverished Americans.
In support of a basic income pilot project 95,000 signatures were collected. The referendum could take place parallel to the German federal election.
The Unconditional Cash Transfer Project gives monthly cash transfers to 100 unemployed graduates
Sacramento has roughly 1,000 foster youth. This program would create a guaranteed income every month, helping children survive as they age out of foster homes.
Businesses have spent millions to oppose the 3% tax on corporate sales over $25 million.
Funding of €35m for the Basic Income for the Arts pilot also announced.
Experts say basic income can help participants afford job training and land higher-paying roles.
An NDP attempt to push through universal basic income was short-lived after a majority of MPs voted against a bill to push through the initiative during its second reading.
AI and tech developments are already pushing people into more precarious work, but UBI could cushion the transition
Investor Vinod Khosla said universal basic income might be necessary as artificial intelligence takes on more of the work humans do.
Today, Creatives Rebuild New York — in partnership with Win, Children’s Defense Fund-New York, and other advocates — announced the formation of the New York State Cash Alliance.
What happens when you give people $1,000 a month? They start thinking about launching a business.
The Pope expressed hope that economically powerful individuals would come out of isolation, “reject the false security of money, and embrace the sharing of goods,” which he described as having a universal destiny, stemming from Creation itself.
A Democrat challenging House Majority Leader Steve Scalise supports a universal basic income program to address Louisiana’s economic, education and health care issues.
The Texas Constitution expressly prohibits giving away public funds to benefit individuals — a common sense protection to prevent cronyism and ensure that public funds benefit all citizens
Denver Basic Income Project sent out the last payments it has funding for this week.
“It’s based on the mindset,” he said. “It’s not how little I’m getting, but what I do with what I have.”
Something Biden and Trump can agree on — a sovereign wealth fund isn’t a bad idea.
The Palm Springs City Council plans to update how the city hands out grants in an apparent response to the alleged misappropriation of hundreds of thousands of dollars through a guaranteed income pilot program funded by the city.
Guaranteed basic income programs, which provide regular cash payments with no strings attached, aim to ease poverty and strengthen families and communities.
Torri Hanna said the basic income program helped her navigate a tough period of her life.
What happens when you fund 10 artists a part time wage – a universal basic income – for an entire year, to help facilitate change within their community across an entire region?
During a news conference this morning at City Police headquarters about the takedown of an East Baltimore drug trafficking organization, Police Commissioner Richard Worley also defended an officer who placed a gun to a man’s head during an arrest in May.
Harris proposal would substantially increase the child tax credit for newborns
An Illinois guaranteed basic income program will give cash to 800 families involved in the child welfare system.
Virtually every major player in Oregon politics has come out against the proposal. That’s a big change — and no guarantee it can’t succeed.
Birmingham’s guaranteed basic income program gave 110 single mothers $375 a month.
Steph Wetherell talks to farmers about whether a universal wage is the answer to growing unease and uncertainty in the sector
South Fulton Mayor Khalid Kamau considers the program “a transformative step” for the city.
Pilot scheme in Amazon communities of central Peru aims to help people choose a more sustainable way of living
Interest in GBI surged in California after the success of the Stockton Economic Empowerment Demonstration (SEED), which provided 125 people with $500 each month for 24 months starting in February 2019.
In a speech on Friday in North Carolina, Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris will propose a raft of progressive economic proposals that echo and expand on President Biden’s agenda, campaign officials said.
With a poverty rate that is steadily increasing among young adults, a monthly stipend of $500 for 18- to 24-year-olds—many of whom are juggling multiple jobs and school—could make a world of difference.
Some parents say guaranteed basic income helped them afford childcare, allowing them to secure jobs and promotions at work.
A ballot measure to give Oregon residents a $1,600 tax rebate faces bipartisan opposition.
Basic income programs expands to assist foster youth.
The chair of the Children’s Code Reform Task Force suggested New Mexico follow the example of the Alaska Permanent Fund, which sends every Alaska resident a yearly check based on the state’s oil and gas incomes.
A new report details the impact of four direct payment, guaranteed-income programs for San Diegan County residents.
A temporary, pandemic-era expansion of the Child Tax Credit improved housing affordability for families with low incomes, according to University of Michigan research.
Some tech leaders are advocating for universal basic income to counteract AI-driven job automation.
![With a growing body of research that disabuses the notion that the guaranteed income encourages frivolous spending or laziness, West said she is more likely to be queried on how a guaranteed income program can be implemented. The money can provide a cushion for those who live on the finance edge and comes without the kind of regulations and limitations of more conventional public assistance like food stamps or housing vouchers, researchers say. What the guaranteed money buys in many cases was time, West said. “When you’re very low-income, that translates into time scarcity,” West said. “You’re spending all this time navigating these systems — child care, transportation. Guaranteed income unlocks some time for you.” Some used the time for job training that led to better work, researchers have found across the country, or to spend more time with children, leading to improved school performance. In Baltimore’s pilot, preliminary results showed participants’ labor force participation increased from 64% to 71%, though their unemployment rate remained more than twice that of average Baltimore residents. With many of the programs still fairly new, it remains to be seen how long their positive effects on recipients last, researchers said. Many of the pilot plans including Baltimore’s used federal pandemic relief funds that are expiring, leaving them without a readily available source of support. West said guaranteed income is “an imprecise tool” and can’t by itself fix the underlying causes of systemic poverty, such as the legacy of “racial redlining and neighborhood segregation” that Scott has pointed to in making his case for the program. “What is very clear is the history of redlining isn’t going to be solved by guaranteed income,” West said. Particularly in red states, there are those with “a potent ideological objection” to giving free money to the poor, said Matthew Reed, executive director of the Harkin Institute for Public Policy and Citizen Engagement in Iowa. This spring, the institute was about halfway through a two-year pilot program that gives $500 a month to 110 people in the Des Moines area when the Iowa Legislature banned the use of public funds in such programs. About half of the Iowa program’s $2.5 million costs come from public sources, including municipalities in its three-county area, so those funds are being spent first, saving private money for after the new law takes effect next year, Reed said. “It was certainly frustrating,” Reed said. Rather than waiting until the project’s conclusion to have “a more honest debate” about its merits, Reed said, legislators opted to say, “We don’t care what the results are. We don’t like it.” Legislators split largely on partisan lines. One Republican lawmaker called it “socialism on steroids,” while Democrats argued that local governments should be allowed to use their funds as they saw fit. Iowa State Sen. Scott Webster, a Republican, who shepherded the bill through his chamber, called guaranteed income “a terrible waste of taxpayer money.” He disputed research that supports the program’s benefits, saying it doesn’t adequately track how recipients spend the money on the debit card as well as other funds at their disposal. “Let’s say they use $500 [of program money] on groceries. What happened to the money they used to use for groceries. Where’d that go?” Webster said. Such sentiments reflect an unfair distrust and scrutiny of poor people, said Abigail Marquez, who oversaw the guaranteed income program in Los Angeles. The city’s pilot was the nation’s largest, a $38 million effort that served more than 3,000 residents. “Based on the results from the research, we learned that people were able to seek and obtain dignified work,” said Marquez, who manages the city’s Community Investment for Families Department. Another important outcome was the time freed up for recipients to spend with children and neighbors, and on their own health and well-being. “We saw that participants were able to leave a violent home environment because of the guaranteed income,” she said. The concept has found a friendly home in deeply blue California, which has multiple programs designed to help groups that include immigrants and those exiting foster care. Legislatures in other states have, like Iowa, blocked them, although two Democratic governors, in Arizona and Wisconsin, have vetoed the measures. The Texas Attorney General sued Harris County, which includes Houston, saying its guaranteed income program violated the state constitution’s ban against giving public money to an individual. The state’s Supreme Court has temporarily blocked the program, and county officials are considering adjustments to try getting around that. To turn guaranteed income pilots into more permanent parts of the social safety net will require funding, of course, but also political will, supporters said. “If it’s a public program, it needs political support,” Reed said. “To do it at a larger scale, it’s going to require public money and public buy-in.” The first mayor-led guaranteed income pilot similar to Baltimore’s launched in 2019 in Stockton, California. Other cities followed, and researchers have found across the board that recipients use the money in ways that make sense for their families, spending it on rent, utilities and food, said Suki Samra, who directed the Stockton program and now is executive director of the mayors’ group advocating for guaranteed income. Participants are consistently more likely to find long-term employment, she said, and to get some form of education when compared to a control group. “When you remove that constant drumbeat of anxiety, of worry, folks are able to take a step back, they’re able to dream,” Samra said. “They’re able to think about what their full potential is.” Although Baltimore stopped distributing benefits at the end of July, the study of its recipients continues. Researchers are expected to release next year a final study of the program, which will include data on recipients collected up to six months after the close of the program. Then what? Scott is among those who would like to see the concept implemented on a more comprehensive, national basis. When the city’s preliminary results were rolled out in June, Scott directly addressed federal lawmakers. “This should be a national thing,” he said in a news conference. “It can be and should be and it will be — I’m going to speak it into existence — part of the solution to end poverty for good in this country.” Samra said the mayors’ group believes an expansion of the child tax credit to include cash payments to parents would be a natural progression. “We’re seeing that as the most politically feasible tool,” she said. West said people have grown increasingly comfortable with the idea of a guaranteed income. Andrew Yang made it part of his run for the Democratic nomination for president in 2020. And during the coronavirus pandemic, the federal government sent stimulus money to more than 150 million households. “We all received a guaranteed income then,” she said. She envisions cities continuing to serve as “incubators of invention,” experimenting with how to build on guaranteed income pilots and work towards a goal that should be beyond politics. Baltimore, other cities try to answer: Can a handout ease the burden of poverty, and for how long?](https://basicincometoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/breanna-klemm-1nVBujxVJXU-unsplash-225x300.jpg)
Michelle Vines with her children Mason Vines, then 3 and Rylee Oliver, then 2, applied for Baltimore’s guaranteed income pilot program in 2022, which was spearheaded by Mayor Brandon Scott.
Many at the forefront of the technology transition are singing the same tune: as artificial intelligence and automation reshape our world, UBI will become not just desirable, but inevitable.
Paxton in June requested the state prohibit payments under the county’s pilot guaranteed income program. The Texas Supreme Court in June granted the state’s request, ultimately deeming Uplift Harris unconstitutional.
Providing a guaranteed minimum level of income frees people from vicious cycle of poverty, says Archbishop Thabo Makgoba.
New Orleans 12th grader Dejah Grimes was part of a pilot program, soon to be expanded, that gives students $50 per week with no strings attached.
Labour should be emboldened by the popularity of policies aimed at breaking down inequality: now’s the time for ambition
Giving cash to poor people could result in fewer emergency department visits, a new study suggests.
Research so far shows basic income can help lower-income families afford the basics.
A small lawsuit in San Francisco has shown us how another Trump administration and Project 2025 could strip local control from California governments
Giving people cash makes them less poor. It doesn’t fix everything.
In the “Digital Wallet” program, recipients can only spend the money in shops registered through the program. Spending on things like alcohol, cigarettes, and online purchases is prohibited
Direct cash payments improved recipients’ home lives.
Richer consumers may have escaped some of the worst effects of the inflation shock and Fed tightening, particularly as financial assets soar in value.
Former Liverpool star Sadio Mané financed his own UBI-style program.
A basic income allowed Hope Davis to get back on her feet and give back to her community.
Pomona is launching a basic income pilot for families with children under 4 years old.
Georgia’s basic income pilot helped low-income Black women afford bills and pay down debt.
The concept of a guaranteed income is gaining traction as a solution to the impact of AI and way to encourage more rewarding and socially valuable work
“If the technology goes fast, we’ll have to figure it out fast”
Program gave $1,200 a month to 55 low-income trans residents
Sonia Furstenau says Greens still debating details of party election platform, but basic income proposal likely to target three vulnerable groups.
Pilot scheme due to end in 2025; extension of the scheme raised in the Seanad.
Industry group says rise of vocal technology could upend many creative fields, including audiobooks – the canary in the coalmine for voice actors
Fund says governments should do more to protect their economies in face of massive potential labour disruptions
If you’re worried about how AI will affect your job, the world of copywriters may offer a glimpse of the future.
Through a lottery, the Pomona Household Universal Grant Program (HUG) will choose 600 eligible residents and assign them to two groups — a paid group and a control group.
Restaurants are placing big, experimental bets on robots that stir-fry, flip burgers, mix drinks, cook ramen, bake pizza, deliver meals to diners and whisk away the dirty dishes.
The Union of BC Municipalities will bring the debate on UBI to its annual general meeting with the support of Victoria city councillors.
The guaranteed income pilot program is modeled off of similar programs in Canada, San Francisco and New York City.
A South African policy proposal is being hailed as the first national universal basic income plan.
A nonprofit has filed a lawsuit against the City of St. Louis over its Guaranteed Basic Income program, alleging the program is unconstitutional.
Mothers and children benefit greatly from the stability provided by these initiatives — which are expanding across the Twin Cities region.
Corporations don’t want to pay their fair share. They pay so little compared to everyday Oregonians. We all have really thin margins and we manage to do it.
First-year study shows more stable housing, decreased use of emergency services among recipients
Giving a regular cash payment to the entire world population has the potential to increase global gross domestic product (GDP) by 130%, according to a new analysis published June 7 in the journal Cell Reports Sustainability.
As Americans struggle with rising costs, Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif. is making a pitch to help put more dollars in some of the lowest income Americans while cutting costs of federal healthcare spending.
UBI recipients gained enough flexibility to find better jobs, or complete higher education. And contrary to the thinly veiled racist claims that people given free money would become lazy and blow it on vices, the opposite proved true:
The program is now in its third cohort, according to a recent press release, and the city has set aside $500,000 of its 2025 budget to continue the program.
Universal Basic Guys was picked up by the network in late 2022. It will join other Fox comedies including the Jon Hamm-led Grimsburg, Dan Harmon’s Krapopolis, as well as the long-running titles The Simpsons, Family Guy and Bob’s Burgers.
Even modest UBI proposals could offer vital support to workers facing technological disruptions
The ruling ANC is on a pioneering path to transform the Covid grant into a scheme that aims to combat poverty
A guaranteed basic income program in Washington DC is allowing participants to choose the amount of their monthly checks.
Based on similar programs that other localities have done, Saines said, “I think this is the correct amount to allocate for right now. We have the funding to do so. And from conversations it seems like everybody’s in support of it.”
Interest in guaranteed basic income programs is gaining traction in some Washington cities. Tacoma started its second basic-income pilot in 2024, after a separate King County program. KUOW’s “Booming” looks into the lessons learned from such experiments.
Arts Sector gathers to discuss Status of the Artist in Ireland & results from first year of the Basic Income for the Arts pilot
A New Mexico guaranteed basic income program offered immigrant and undocumented households across the state $500 a month for a year.
Aimed at combating poverty, GBI faces political challenges and funding constraints.
The eastside Indianapolis groups chose 15 families to test a universal basic income program for a year and a half.
Conservatives are fighting guaranteed basic income programs across the country.
Jennette Fisher and her 11-year-old daughter Sophia moved into a new apartment in January. Fisher is still setting up the furniture, but her Chicago suburb is starting to feel like home.
there is no permanent or decent income stream that will enable people to eat, supply customers to shops and traders, and thus no suppliers for factories to sell to.
A man walking the length of Australia to campaign for basic income has has spent the night in freezing temperatures after falling from a cliff.
In recent years, economic inequality has increased along with housing costs, inflation and mass layoffs, all of which have significantly impacted the economic well-being of individuals worldwide.
The covid-19 pandemic prompted an unprecedented global response, with nations implementing various social protection measures to mitigate the socio-economic impacts of lockdowns and restrictions.
The financial aid will alleviate the pressure cooker of indignity and hopelessness that extreme poverty and exclusion create
Wright said the extra cash gave her room to save money and time to find a place more suitable for her family.
“The vast majority of people won’t be satisfied with just the $500 per week that Basic Income Australia is advocating for.”
“I was consulted by people in Downing Street and I advised them that universal basic income was a good idea,” he said.
South Africa can learn from Brazil
Nearly a fourth of the Iowa Legislature benefits from farm subsidies, some to the tune of millions of dollars
ASHEVILLE – The city and county reparations commission has voted unanimously for guaranteed income for some residents, handing that and other recommendations up to local elected officials.
A concept that aims to lift people out of poverty is growing at Ottawa’s Rideau Park United Church.
A class can be defined in terms of three dimensions – distinctive relations of production, distinctive relations of distribution and distinctive relations to the state.
What if raising the floor—of social benefits like income, health care, housing and more—might actually accelerate our economic growth?
Ann Arbor is providing 24 monthly payments of $528 to low-income residents.
A collaborative study conducted by Stanford Basic Income Lab and the Centre for Guaranteed Income Research has compiled data from over 30 pilot universal basic income (UBI) programs across the United States, involving nearly 8,300 participants.
Floyd Marinescu launched UBI Works to reframe the debate about basic income — and his message is catching on
A monthly payment of $750 to $1,000 would allow thousands of the city’s homeless people to find informal housing
New York City is one of many areas across the country offering guaranteed basic income to low-income residents.
Towards a Georgist public finance regime for state level universal basic income.
The once-scoffed at idea of guaranteed income is receiving renewed interest as AI becomes an increasing threat to Americans’ jobs.
Gov. Kim Reynolds has signed into law a ban on local governments adopting guaranteed income programs.
Senate Bill 333 proposes providing 15,000 high school seniors experiencing homelessness with a monthly stipend of $1,000 for four months.
More than 200 San Francisco families that recently experienced homelessness will receive $1,000 monthly cash payments as part of a new guaranteed income program funded largely by Google.
The city has until the end of the year to allocate hundreds of millions of federal COVID relief money or risk losing it.
Americans deserve a new system that can introduce an era of socioeconomic mobility and opportunity for all.
Houston’s basic-income program faces shutdown after Texas’ attorney general labels it “unconstitutional.”
An innovative federal-provincial partnership would virtually eradicate poverty among working-age adults and their children, report shows.
The once-scoffed at idea of guaranteed income is receiving renewed interest as AI becomes an increasing threat to Americans’ jobs.
Basic income advocates say the concept is an effective way of reducing poverty.
Green deputy leader tells conference coming year is ‘pivotal’ and she is ‘absolutely committed’ to new public broadcasting funding model
