THE SOCIAL DEBATE
Report calls for minimum income guarantee pilot in Scotland
A minimum income guarantee could be piloted in Scotland following next year’s Holyrood elections.
Is Windsor-Essex ready for a guaranteed basic income? This senator says it’s time
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.
Another SRD grant extension planned amid basic income grant delays in South Africa
Consultations and workshops are holding up a basic income grant in South Africa.
Community Organizations Buck Big Money Lobbyists’ Attempt to Ban Guaranteed Basic Income
In a huge win for families across the state, a bill to ban guaranteed income failed to pass the Texas Legislature.
New book outlines why Basic Income could be the solution to poverty and inequality
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.
Opinion: Is Connecticut ready for Universal Basic Income?
While the world burns around us, maybe we can provide for residents a modicum of stability.
State lawmakers launch group to spur ‘guaranteed income’ cash to residents
More than 20 lawmakers want to see states play a larger role in the programs meant to fight poverty.
Bill banning Harris County’s basic income program passes Texas Senate
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.
Trump’s New Plan for Acquiring Greenland Is UBI for Its Residents—on Americans’ Dime
The White House has a plan that sounds strikingly similar to a universal basic income scheme, or UBI.
Universal Basic Income Could Slash UK Benefit Costs and Boost Economy, Studies Show
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.
New research will examine the use of welfare reform to tackle health inequalities
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.
Independent Candidate For Parliament in Germany Runs on Universal Basic Income as a Human Right to Exist
Many independent candidates are running in the federal election, although they have little chance of making it in the German parliament.
New Brunswick poverty reduction plan stops short of universal income support
The threat of a recession has prompted renewed calls for some kind of income support from labour and social justice groups.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Explosive court ruling on SRD grant in South Africa
Government ordered to “progressively increase” the grant and income threshold, and allow in-person applications
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.
Food banks were never supposed to be permanent, CEO says
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.
Universal programs are much easier to administer than means-tested ones
Universal programs are much easier to administer than means-tested ones.
Opinion: We all deserve more money. Let me prove why it’s time for universal basic income
A universal basic income policy is simple yet transformative, writes Zack Polanski, deputy leader of the Green Party of England and Wales
Volunteers providing meals in eastern P.E.I. renew call for basic income guarantee
‘A good, solid basic income policy needs to be looked at strongly in Canada’
Opinion: What “Universal Basic Guys” gets wrong about basic income – and why it matters
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.
Biden says he was ‘stupid’ not to sign Covid stimulus checks as Trump did
President says failure may have contributed to voters blaming him for high prices even as economy improved
Opinion: A basic income grant is our most potent weapon in the fight against hunger
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.