Socialist plan to pay everyone up to £81 k 2 –workers and jobless
As SNP considers radical overhaul, who’d get what?
EVERY man, woman and child in Scotland would be entitled to a handout of up to £8,500 a year under radical plans for a ‘citizen’s income’ being considered by the Scottish Government.
In her Programme for Government unveiled last week, Nicola Sturgeon committed to examining how the controversial plan could help build a ‘fairer Scotland’.
The Scottish Mail on Sunday has now seen the first official blueprint setting out how the socialist policy might work – and can reveal it would cost £40 billion a year to roll out across the country.
A 31-page report by Fife Council – which has committed to piloting a Universal Basic Income (UBI) scheme – reveals for the first time the potential costs to the taxpayer.
Every individual, irrespective of age – whether working or not – would receive a weekly income of up to £165 (£8,580 a year).
The cash would replace the state pension, child benefit and a number of other welfare payments, though it is understood housing and disability benefit would remain.
Supporters say UBI, which is being trialled in Finland, would eradicate poverty.
But critics warn the policy will be ‘sensationally expensive and unaffordable’, costing more than the entire Scottish budget for 2016-17.
Last year, 77 per cent of voters in Switzerland rejected a proposal to have guaranteed basic income.
Miss Sturgeon’s Programme for Government states: ‘One of the attractions of a citizen’s basic income, a radical form of social assistance, is it may help those on the lowest incomes back into work or help them work more hours, while providing an unconditional “basic income” as a safety net.’
The First Minister confirmed the Government would establish a fund to help councils carry out pilot projects, and will work with the Poverty and Inequality Commission to inform future policy.
Glasgow, Edinburgh, North Ayrshire and Fife councils have expressed interest in UBI.
Fife wants to select a town of 2,000 to 5,000 people for a two-year pilot and is considering three levels of basic income. In the most generous, over-65s would get £165 per week – £10 more than the current state pension – while all workingage adults will get £150 every week (double the Jobseeker’s Allowance rate) whether they work or not.
Children under 16 would get £90 per week – child benefit is currently £20.70 for the first child and £13.70 for any others.
Fife’s report, Basic Income is Not Left or Right it is Forward, which will be considered by the council’s policy and co-ordination committee on Wednesday, states UBI will reduce poverty and stigma, and improve health.
But Scottish Tory social security spokesman Adam Tomkins warned that ‘a citizen’s income is neither workable nor anything remotely approaching affordable’.
He added: ‘The evidence shows that, in practice, it would be sensationally expensive and counterproductive.’ But Annie Miller, chairman of the Citizen’s Income Trust, said: ‘A basic income would provide financial security and give people the right not to be destitute. It would value individuals for their own sake, not just for their work or wealth.’
Jamie Cooke, director of the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce Scotland, which is helping councils research UBI, said: ‘This is a significant opportunity for Scotland to be a global leader in social policy innovation.’
The Scottish Government said: ‘Several local authorities are interested in taking forward this policy and we want to provide support to help them develop and evaluate potential pilots. We will continue to watch international experiments closely as they develop.’
‘It’d be sensationally expensive’