Innovative research shows strong support for Basic Income Plus as a model to reform income security.
Author: Simon Duffy
Although we have enough for everyone to live in dignity we seem to be trapped in a vicious circle of worsening economic security and worsening social security. Politicians and the media imply that benefits are unaffordable, despite the fact that the benefit system is increasingly failing to redistribute income and poverty is increasing. Progressive reforms to the benefit system are considered politically impossible.
This innovative research from Citizen Network aims to help break the current deadlock in the political imagination by asking some different questions:
This report, which is published in association with the Basic Income Research Group, Care Full and the UBI Lab Network asked people to think about the principles that should underpin the benefit system. It revealed significant support for principles that would align with a policy of Basic Income Plus:
1. Security - Everyone should have a secure and regular income (95%).
2. Redistribution - Government should redistribute resources to reduce poverty (94%).
3. Disability - People with higher needs should get a higher income (88%).
4. Contribution - Paid work is not the only kind of valuable work (85%).
5. Incentive - There should be positive incentives to earn money (81%).
6. Sufficient - Nobody should live in poverty (78%).
7. Independent - Every person should have their own income (76%).
8. Progressive - People on lower incomes should pay lower taxes (75%).
9. Universal - The system should support everyone (71%).
10. Freedom - People should be free to decide how they live (60%).
This research suggests that it may be possible for disabled people and advocates of Basic Income to unite and to focus their efforts on reform of disability benefits as the first step towards Universal Basic Income.
Read and download the free pdf in your browser, link below.
[Please note: if you read the report in your browser, the graphic on page 10 may not be displayed properly — you will need to download the pdf in order to view it in full, apologies!]
The publisher is Citizen Network. Better Benefits © Simon Duffy 2025.
Basic Income, disability, nature & economics, Need for Roots, politics, social justice, tax and benefits, England, Paper
