Category: Basic Income

Readers’ thoughts: US elections, Universal Basic Income and Labour budget

Readers’ thoughts: US elections, Universal Basic Income and Labour budget

We want to offer a space to share opinions, and maybe even engage in some healthy debate Welcome to openDemocracy’s weekly reader comments round-up. We receive so many carefully considered messages about our work that it seems a shame to keep them to ourselves.

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These comments have been edited for clarity, accuracy and length, and aren’t necessarily a reflection of openDemocracy’s editorial position. Weekly poll: Would your government ever establish a universal […]

The ASRI Report

The ASRI Report

Sameera Casmod | sameerac@radioislam.co.za

2-minute read Urgent need for Universal Basic Income Grant (UBIG) in SA

Civil society organisations are once again calling on the government to implement a UBIG to alleviate financial strain on households and reduce poverty, particularly among the youth. A UBIG refers to a government program that provides a regular payment to every adult citizen, regardless of their income, gender, race, or age.Senior Research Associate Dr Imraan Buccus from the Auwal Socioeconomic Research Institute (ASRI) explains how a grant will reduce youth unemployment in the country and ultimately improve social stability and reduce the risk […]

How to Calculate the Cost of Universal Basic Income

How to Calculate the Cost of Universal Basic Income

I’ve written about this before, about how the cost of universal basic income is its net cost, not its gross cost , but because this question of the cost of UBI is so frequently raised, and so frequently misunderstood, I’m going to attempt to explain this in an alternative way in the hopes people might come to understand it at a deeper level, and therefore be less likely to fall for misinformation. Claim

The cost of universal basic income (C) is the dollar amount of the UBI (D) multiplied by the number of people receiving it (N). Equation

C = D […]

What is GIS? Understanding the Guaranteed Income Supplement

Canada’s Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) provides vital financial support to low-income seniors, helping them enjoy a more stable retirement. As part of the Old Age Security (OAS) program, GIS is essential for those who need an extra income boost. Let’s look at GIS eligibility, the application processes, benefits, and strategies to maximize GIS payments. And if you want a complete retirement plan, don’t forget to try out the Retirementize online income calculator. What is the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS)?

The Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) is a government benefit aimed at helping low-income Canadian seniors supplement their retirement income. Part […]

Nobel laureate discusses ways to alleviate global poverty

Nobel laureate discusses ways to alleviate global poverty

Abhijit Banerjee October 31, 2024—Nobel laureate Abhijit Banerjee often hears people judge those in poverty. He attributes those judgments to misconceptions, and pushed back on those false notions in a recent conversation at the Harvard Chan Studio about solutions that can reduce global poverty.

For example, Banerjee, director of the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) and Ford Foundation International Professor of Economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, emphasized that impoverished people will still spend money on needs other than food or shelter—including finding ways to create joy in their lives, like a phone to talk to family […]

Harris County revamped its guaranteed income program. Ken Paxton is still trying to stop it.

Harris County revamped its guaranteed income program. Ken Paxton is still trying to stop it.

A flyer advertises an earlier version of Harris County’s guaranteed income program. After the state blocked the program, county officials revamped the initiative and renamed it the Community Prosperity Program. Getting your Trinity Audio player ready… Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is continuing to fight Harris County’s guaranteed income initiative even after officials scaled it back to more closely resemble existing state and federal public assistance programs.

Under the revamped program, what had been a monthly no-strings-attached stipend of $500 now will be limited to the purchase of food, housing and utilities with a pre-loaded debit card issued by the […]

Universal basic income to be trialled in Bern: What you need to know

Universal basic income to be trialled in Bern: What you need to know

Bern is set to become the first city in Switzerland to conduct a large-scale trial of universal basic income or UBI, local lawmakers have confirmed. While the plans have been praised for exploring the concept in greater detail, some question whether the de facto capital can actually afford UBI. 300 Bern residents to be given a universal basic income

As part of the pilot project, 300 people in Bern will be given a universal basic income. While city officials said the size of the payments will be determined at a later date, fundamentally the trial means that no matter […]

Unpacking the Conversation Around Universal Basic Income

Unpacking the Conversation Around Universal Basic Income

8 min read

| By Gale Staff |

The premise of universal basic income (UBI) is simple: Provide every citizen with regular, unconditional payments to ensure they have a degree of guaranteed financial security.A 2019 study found that 43% of U.S. respondents support UBI, but the breakdown of this data reveals more intriguing insights.Support is highest among younger adults aged 18–29, with 67% in favor—many of whom earn a median annual income between $55,000 and $85,800. This enthusiasm decreases with age, with 49% support among those aged 30–49, who typically earn $85,800 to $101,300, and just 40% among those aged 50–64, […]

Health board supports lobbying for basic guaranteed income

Health board supports lobbying for basic guaranteed income

(Getty Images) Article content

Calling it a need locally and elsewhere, Chatham-Kent’s board of health added its voice in lobbying for a federal basic guaranteed income.

Advertisement 2This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.Article contentThe board heard a presentation Wednesday, which noted the aim of reducing food insecurity. Other municipalities issued similar calls for a program.Sharmini Balakrishnan, public health nutritionist, said a 2017 pilot project in Ontario had a positive impact in decreasing poverty and improving overall health.“We’d like the Municipality of Chatham-Kent to join other municipalities in Ontario in endorsing a federally funded basic income,” […]

Front and Center: ‘If You Lose Your Job, You Lose Your Childcare. How Are You Supposed to Make That Work?’ Asks Mississippi Mom of Five

“I really think Trump looks down on people like me,” writes Debra, a single mother caring for her five children, plus her grandmother and niece. “That’s not the type of person I want leading the country.”

Front & Center is a groundbreaking Ms . series that began as first-person accounts of Black mothers living in Jackson, Miss., receiving a guaranteed income. Moving into the fourth year and next phase of this series , the aim is to expand our focus beyond a single policy intervention to include a broader examination of systemic issues impacting Black women experiencing poverty . […]