A Basic Income is a periodic cash payment unconditionally delivered to all on an individual basis, without means-test or work requirement.
The Royal Society of Arts Explains: [2 minutes]
Recent News, Opinion, and Research
London School of Economics article about the importance of research
The London School of Economics has published an article about the importance of research, 'The Basic Income debate needs high quality research'. During the past few years, increasing employment insecurity has fuelled growing interest in the idea of a Basic Income...
News Round-up: Basic Income in the News
Canada The Coronavirus Pandemic Proves We Need Universal Basic Income 7 April 2020 Croatia Time for a Universal Basic Income for Eastern Europe? (Paul Stubbs) 30 March 2020 Finland Finnish basic income pilot improved wellbeing, study finds 7 May 2020 Spain...
New unconditional incomes for children in Russia
For the first time, the Russian government is to pay unconditional incomes for children. Alexander Solovev has written an article about this initiative. The original article in Russian can be read here, and a translation into English by Irina Soloveva here. ...
A new European Citizens’ Initiative about Basic Income
The European Commission has agreed that a new European Citizens' Initiative about Basic Income can begin in November. Title of citizens’ initiative: Start Unconditional Basic Incomes (UBI) throughout the EU Date of request for registration: 15/04/2020 Brussels...
Cash handouts in Japan: How the financial incentive offered to the whole population in Japan compares to Basic Income
For weeks now, the coronavirus pandemic has affected the livelihoods of people across the world. As the global economy is negatively impacted by the pandemic, governments all around the world have released incentive packages in a bid to counter the economic...
Recent news from Russia
Alexander Solovev, Social movement “Basic income Russia Tomorrow”, has written several articles about what is happening in ex-USSR countries now on what measures governments are taking to protect the citizens of their countries during the coronavirus pandemic. These...
Journal of European Social Policy blog article about Basic Income
The Journal of European Social Policy has published a JESP European Social Policy Blog article, ‘The Basic Income Debate: Keeping it Intelligent‘, by Malcolm Torry During the past five years or so we have seen growing interest in the idea of a Basic Income (also...
Precarious Work, Unemployment Benefit Generosity, and Basic Income
The Journal of Social Policy has published an article by Young-Kyu Shin, Teemu Kmppainen and Katai Kuitto, ‘Precarious Work, Unemployment Benefit Generosity and Universal Basic Income Preferences: A Multilevel Study on 21 European Countries’ Abstract The idea of...
Launch of the BIEN Conversations – why critical debate is more important than ever
In April BIEN’s Executive Committee agreed plans to respond to the growing public attention to basic income during the Covid crisis.
New European opinion poll on Basic Income
FEPS (the Foundation for European Progressive Studies) has published the results of a wide-ranging opinion survey: Across the EU14 a plurality of citizens support the idea of universal basic income. Respondents who fully agree (24%) and are somewhat supportive (22%)...
A corona is the halo of light during a solar eclipse
The coronavirus crisis can ensure a more balanced economy. Care and solidarity must support our economy and society.
More results of the Finnish experiment published
At a presentation on Wednesday 6th May, Kela, the Finnish social security agency, gave further results from the first year of its Basic Income experiment. The trial group was 2,000 randomly selected unemployed individuals who had their unemployment benefit made...