# FILE NAME: 00002354.soc
# TITLE: Should the UK adopt a similar approach to the Universal Basic Income experiments that are currently running in Finland, and the Netherlands? [1137b5040bd5a22d15a046e8105a988c]
# DESCRIPTION: 
# DATA TYPE: soc
# MODIFICATION TYPE: original
# RELATES TO: 
# RELATED FILES: 
# PUBLICATION DATE: 2025-10-12
# MODIFICATION DATE: 2025-10-12
# NUMBER ALTERNATIVES: 4
# NUMBER VOTERS: 5
# NUMBER UNIQUE ORDERS: 5
# ALTERNATIVE NAME 1: Statement 1 - In principle, the idea of a universal basic income is a good one, and we would like to see it trialled in the UK.  We would like to see the trial cover a range of different age groups, and a range of different income levels, to understand the impact on people's behaviour and the economy.  We would also like to see the trial cover a range of different lengths of time, to understand the impact of a UBI on people's behaviour and the economy in the short, medium and long term.  We would also like to see the trial cover a range of different regions, to understand the impact of a UBI on people's behaviour and the economy in different parts of the UK.  We would also like to see the trial cover a range of different family types, to understand the impact of a UBI on people's behaviour and the economy for different family types.
# ALTERNATIVE NAME 2: Statement 2 - In general, the group was in favour of the concept of a Universal Basic Income. It was felt that it would help to address the issue of poverty in the UK, and would help to ensure that all members of society had a basic level of income, regardless of their employment status. It was felt that the system would be more straightforward than the current system of welfare benefits, and would help to reduce the stigma that is often attached to people on benefits. It was felt that the system would be more expensive than the current system, and that this would need to be funded by increased taxation. However, it was felt that this would be a price worth paying, in order to help reduce poverty and increase equality in the UK.
# ALTERNATIVE NAME 3: Statement 3 - In principle, the concept of a universal basic income is a good one.  It would ensure that everyone has enough to live on, and provide a safety net for those that are unable to work.  However, there are a number of issues that need to be considered.  Firstly, it would be very expensive to implement, and would require a significant increase in taxation.  Secondly, it could have a negative impact on the incentive to work, and could lead to higher levels of unemployment.  Finally, there is a risk that it could lead to higher levels of inflation.  Therefore, it would be sensible to conduct a trial to understand the impact of a universal basic income, before committing to a full roll out.
# ALTERNATIVE NAME 4: Statement 4 - In general, the group was in favour of the concept of a universal basic income.  It was felt that it would be a more efficient way of providing welfare and would help to address the issue of poverty in the UK.  It was also felt that it would provide a more stable income for households and that it would help to reduce the poverty premium.  However, it was felt that there would be a number of challenges to overcome.  These included the potential disincentive to work, the impact on the economy, the impact on the tax system and the impact on businesses.  It was felt that a trial would be beneficial to understand the impact in practice and to help to address some of these concerns.
1: 4,2,3,1
1: 2,1,3,4
1: 3,1,4,2
1: 1,3,4,2
1: 3,4,1,2