Senedd candidates backing call for basic income pilot project in Wales

MORE than 50 candidates from five political parties standing in May’s Senedd election have pledged to back a pilot project in Wales of the Universal Basic Income (UBI) concept.

UBI – which if developed on a national basis would see every citizen receive an unconditional regular payment from the state – has been hailed as a significant tool in the battle to end poverty.

It would provide a route out of the benefit trap under which claimants are penalised financially if they undertake paid work.

Critics, however, have argued that it would be very costly and would disincentivise some unemployed people from seeking a job.

In advance of the Senedd election, a group called UBI Lab Cymru has invited candidates to pledge support for a pilot project based on the idea in Wales.

So far, some 55 candidates representing Labour, Plaid Cymru, the Liberal Democrats, the Green Party and the pro-Welsh independence party Gwlad have signed up.

Among those to have signed the pledge are Presiding Officer and Plaid Cymru MS Elin Jones, fellow Plaid MSs Delyth Jewell, Helen Mary Jones and Leanne Wood; Labour MSs Mick Antoniw, Alun Davies, Mike Hedges and Rhianon

Passmore; Welsh Liberal Democrats leader Jane Dodds and Welsh Green Party leader Anthony Slaughter.

Solicitor Jonathan Williams, one of the organisers of UBI Lab Cymru, said the evidence to date was that UBI improved people’s physical and mental well-being, which had a positive impact on the public purse.

A trial in Finland involved 2,000 unemployed people aged between 25 and 58 receiving

€560 per month, with no strings attached.

The study compared the employment and well-being of UBI recipients against a control group of 173,000 people who were on unemployment benefits.

Those on UBI worked a little more than those on benefits, and reported better financial well-being, mental health and cognitive functioning, as well as higher levels of confidence in the future.