Scott Santens
Editor of Basic Income Today
Basic Income Today was created to provide news and information and to further the discussion and debate about Universal Basic Income.
EDITOR’S PICKS
Could Minnesota be among the first states to offer a basic income program?
Minnesota could be one of the first states in the nation to pilot a basic income program, with lawmakers considering a $100 million proposal that would provide up to 10,000 people hundreds of dollars every month.
Latest Articles
Some people are being given thousands of dollars with no strings attached in universal basic income trials. They mostly spend the cash wisely.
Interest in universal basic income has grown due to the pandemic, Elon Musk, Sam Altman, and economic pain.
Seattle basic income pilot shows increased employment and larger paychecks
Riko Niyomwungere is a North Seattle College student who participated in a recent guaranteed basic income pilot.
Indian Coalition for Basic Income Launched to Help Shape India’s Social Policy Future
While India is a rich site of several Basic Income Pilots held by Research and Governmental agencies, there is a recent uptrend in the number of cash-based social policies in several states, especially with evidence that shows a marked increase in several indicators of a better life.
It’s time for bold new experiments to tackle poor health – including a Basic Income
Sheffield GP Jack Czauderna explores a fascinating experiment from 100 years ago that turned how we think about health upside down – and that could sit alongside the NHS today.
A San Antonio grandmother used guaranteed basic income to afford groceries and rent a house: ‘It’s changed my station in life’
Ingrid Sullivan, 48, was able to afford rent and groceries with San Antonio’s basic-income program.
Income Inequality
47% of parents financially support their adult children with an average of $1,384 a month
Nearly half of parents with a child older than 18 provide them with at least some financial support, according to a recent report.
For parents, however, supporting grown children can be a substantial drain at a time when their own retirement security is at risk.
Opinion: Make America Mad Again—Mad About the Trillions of Dollars Taken From Them by the Very Rich
The 40-year trickle-down delusion, fashioned by right-wing economists, politicians, and financial experts, has deprived average Americans of the means to support their families in a comfortable, debt-free manner. It was planned. It’s insidious. It’s ongoing. And it should outrage every last one of us.
Wealth of the world’s five richest people more than doubled since 2020 while 5 billion people globally became poorer
“This inequality is no accident; the billionaire class is ensuring corporations deliver more wealth to them at the expense of everyone else,” said Oxfam’s interim executive director.
The top 1% of American earners now own more wealth than the entire middle class
More than one-quarter of all household wealth, 26.5%, belongs to Americans who earn enough money to rank in the top percentile by income, according to Federal Reserve statistics through mid-2023.
Pilots & Experiments
Two New Guaranteed Basic Income Bills Bring Different Strategies to Reducing Young Adult Poverty
The Guaranteed Income Pilot Program Act of 2023 is one of the many plans that lawmakers have introduced to help improve the lives of many people in the United States.
British farmers want basic income to cope with post-Brexit struggles
Schemes to replace EU subsidies will not plug gap left by loss of EU subsidies for most farmers
Mayor of Somerville, Massachusetts, announces guaranteed basic income pilot program
National coalition advocates in favor of cash-based policies to create opportunity
Court Certifies Class Action Lawsuit Brought By Those Who Were Part Of The Ontario Basic Income Pilot Project
The Government of Ontario is facing a class action lawsuit brought on by four Lindsay residents on behalf of 4,000 people who had participated in the Ontario Basic Income Pilot.
The Social Debate
Basic Income: Why It Is Fair and How It Is Financed
Perhaps soon basic income will seem like a worthwhile “thing” in the world, like universal suffrage or the right to divorce.
Nobel Laureate gives lecture at University of Cape Town on universal basic income in the developing world
On 13 March, the University of Cape Town (UCT) welcomed Nobel Laureate Professor Abhijit Vinayak Banerjee, an expert in development economics, for an open lecture on the potential transformative effects of universal basic income in the developing world.
Veteran Basic Income could be the solution the VA has been searching for
Five years ago this February, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) underwent an overhaul of its appellate process when it implemented the Appeals Modernization Act.
Writer Kerry Hudson: ‘Universal basic income just makes sense’
Writer Kerry Hudson: ‘I grew up with the narrative that working-class mothers were the worst’
Hephzibah Anderson
The author on following her acclaimed debut Lowborn with a memoir about motherhood, why her next two books will be thrillers, and the power of toast to bring cheer
Andrew Yang
Success Stories
Places across the U.S. are testing no-strings cash as part of the social safety net
Christopher Santiago recalls being skeptical the first time he heard about basic income — giving people cash with no conditions on how to spend it.
El Monte guaranteed basic income pilot program shows signs of success
The programs tracked participants spending on debit cards and found most spent it on basic needs like food, rent and gas.
San Antonio experimented with giving people $5,108 no-strings-attached. They spent it on housing and school supplies for their kids.
San Antonio gave low-income residents $5,108 each in a guaranteed basic income pilot. They used the money to pay for housing and other necessities.
Paterson, New Jersey gave residents $400 a month, ‘no strings attached.’ Here’s what happened.
What would you do if you suddenly had an extra $400 every month?Dante used it to set up a bank account and get a credit card. His credit score is now a solid 712.
The Basics of UBI
The Deep and Enduring History of Universal Basic Income
While the concept stretches back centuries, it has garnered significant attention in recent decades.
The health case for basic income
Can a universal benefit address poverty, reduce inequality and promote public health?
Implementing a basic income means overcoming myths about the ‘undeserving poor’
On Prince Edward Island, a recent report has outlined how the province could reduce poverty by adopting a basic income. Meanwhile in Ottawa, the Senate is considering developing a framework for a national basic income. Momentum behind a basic income is clearly growing in Canada.
Universal Basic Income: A solution for a diverse country
Recent experiences like the COVID-19 pandemic have brutally highlighted that traditional policy tools are inadequate in protecting the weakest sections of India.
Workforce Automation
Should artists be paid for training data? OpenAI VP wouldn’t say
Should artists whose work was used to train generative AI like ChatGPT be compensated for their contributions?
Humanoid robots will join BMW’s production line
BMW’s newest autoworker is 5’6,” 130 pounds, walks on two legs, uses five-fingered hands to assemble machines — and takes a break every five hours to stroll to a charging station and plug itself in.
As robot baristas and AI chefs debut at Vegas tech show, casino union workers fear for their jobs
Hospitality workers told the Associated Press in interviews over eight months of bargaining that they were willing to take a cut in pay while on strike to win stronger job protection against inevitable advancements in technology.
IMF chief says now is the time to act to create a set of policies ensuring the impact of AI is beneficial to humanity
Kristalina Georgieva said now is the time to act to create a set of policies ensuring the impact of AI is beneficial not detrimental to humanity.