Basic Income latest news
Top 1 Percent Has Sapped $79T in Wealth From Bottom 90 Percent Since 1975
In 2023 alone, $3.9 trillion was sapped from the bottom 90 percent— enough to give every worker a $32,000 raise.
A basic income can be a strong investment in mental health
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.
Lawmakers look to expand California’s guaranteed income program
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.
Major Asia bank to cut 4,000 roles as AI replaces humans
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.
Two cities tried basic income for formerly incarcerated people
Six hundred dollars a month was the boost some formerly incarcerated people needed to rent apartments, cover unexpected expenses, and land steady jobs.
Montana legislators propose Work Protection Act to ban local guaranteed income programs
House Bill 604 represents a significant shift in how guaranteed income programs may be approached in Montana, emphasizing state control over local initiatives.
The future of an independent Cymru and potential of a Universal Basic Income
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
Cash for moms experiment expands in Michigan, where lawmakers see promise
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.
Guaranteeing basic income in Canada could cut poverty by 40% and cost only $3.6 billion: PBO
The PBO analysis says the number of hours worked by guaranteed income recipients could drop slightly — up to 1.4 per cent.
Elon Musk weighs $5k ‘dividends’ for Americans with DOGE savings he has yet to prove
Musk is already hinting at sharing Doge savings while nation is still massively in debt with Republicans planning a huge tax cut
Kansas City doesn’t have enough jobs available for all the federal workers getting laid off
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.
N.L. launched a basic income program for older adults. So far, just 110 have enrolled
The basic income pilot program was announced in 2023, as part of the provincial government’s poverty reduction strategy.
Leaders to consider Guaranteed Income program for some families in Albuquerque
They would focus on children and their families at Whittier Elementary School in the International District and Carlos Rey Elementary School in the southwest area.
Gould promises to open ‘path’ to a basic income in Canada
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.
Daniel Hemel’s new course at NYU Law gives student practical insights into using guaranteed basic income to tackle poverty
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.
Inside the plan to give free cash to homeless people in Manchester: ‘It’s time to try something new’
Academics and campaigners have proposed a new basic income for Greater Manchester after mayor Andy Burnham vowed to introduce one in the city region
Proposal launched for groundbreaking Basic Income pilot in Greater Manchester
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’s single-parent basic income reaches a new ‘milestone’
UBI Taiwan hosted a press conference to spotlight the progress of its basic income pilot program for single-parent households.
Opinion | A stronger Canada starts with economic security for all
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.
Over the past half-decade, guaranteed basic income programs have improved lives around the country. Now they’re under political attack.
How to Save a Saving Grace? Guaranteed income programs specifically target people from socioeconomic backgrounds more likely to experience poverty and homelessness.
Trump is making plans for a sovereign wealth fund. Alaska already has one, and it’s funding a universal basic income.
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 releases basic income guarantee proposal
Alternatives North is advocating for the NWT government to introduce a basic income guarantee program, which it says could eliminate poverty.
Leaked ANC document calls for basic income grant in South Africa in 2025
According to a leaked document from its January 2025 lekgotla, the ANC supports phasing in a basic income grant (BIG) this year.
Revolutionize social assistance by learning to trust
Welfare almost always comes with strings attached. Imagine what would happen if it didn’t.
Explosive court ruling on SRD grant in South Africa
Government ordered to “progressively increase” the grant and income threshold, and allow in-person applications
Wealth inequality risks triggering ‘societal collapse’ within next decade, report finds
Growing wealth inequality in the UK could be a “major driver of societal collapse” within the next decade, according to a new report.
Top AI Investor Says Goal is to Crash Human Wages
American billionaire investor casually proclaimed that AI must “crash” everyone’s wages before it can deliver us an economic utopia.
The Freedom From Want and Basic Income
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.
Women to get $20,000 each from new-mom program investing $10M in Appalachia
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.
Port Moody calls on province to trial universal basic income in its poverty plan
The motion contended the province’s current poverty reduction strategy lacks concrete plans to reach its lofty targets.
Universal basic income vs. welfare: Here’s what UBI could mean for America’s safety net
As America’s cities look to alleviate poverty, universal basic income has been proposed by local leaders as a complement to existing welfare.
Universal basic income: ‘The power to say no and the freedom to say yes’
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.