Universally bad

Universal Basic Income (UBI) is financially irresponsible. Even in the richest societies, if it was set at a level to provide a modest but decent standard of living it would be unaffordable and lead to ballooning deficits, higher taxes, and the re-allocation of resources from the likes of health and education.

Replacing existing benefits with a simple universal grant will lead to higher inequality and poverty. Moving welfare payments from targeted transfers such as unemployment, disability or housing benefits to a generalised transfer to everyone means the most deserving get less.

Delinking income and work, while rewarding people for staying at home will increase the problems we see in Scotland. Individuals gain not only income but meaning, status, skills, networks and friendships through work. So, perversely, UBI will actually undermine social cohesion.

UBI undermines incentives to participate. While dire poverty or starvation is intolerable those who are able, both and individuals, should be encouraged to participate in society, to retrain, to find work, not simply be given the poisoned chalice of a lifetime of dependence.

The fact is UBI allows political leaders to avoid discussing the future of jobs (shorter weeks, home work, creative industries, social and individual care, etc). As Finland found, if we are being serious, we really need to radically change the way we think about income and work.

JOHN CAMERON Howard Place, St Andrews