Fife backs pilot to give every citizen a basic income

Fife could be one of the test pilots for project which could give every citizen a basic income.

The region is one of three which will assess the benefits, and impact, of the proposal from the Citizens Basic Income (CBI) Trust which aims to simply the benefits system.

The £186m pilot would run for three years,would give everyone a basic income regardless of their wealth, work status or personal situation.

The Trust argues it could provide a better understanding of how a universal basic income could impact on poverty, child poverty, unemployment, health and financial wellbeing.

On Thursday, Fife’s policy and cp-ordination meeting backed a report its benefit and impact.

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It came three years after the local authority first agreed to develop a business plan and work jointly with councils in North Ayrshire, Glasgow and Edinburgh.

The pilot proposes two levels of CBI payment with a potential bill of £168m - a figure opposition councillors raised with some concerns.

Tony Miklinski (Conservative) said: “This is going to cost £186m in a post-COVID environment, so unless we can identify a realistic option of paying for it, presumably through taxation, the level of finance needed if you scale it up for Scotland is eye-watering.”

Councillor Dave Dempsey described it as “unrealistic.”

Labour’s Judy Hamilton hailed the report as “massively significant” and welcomed its “comprehensive study and practical proposals for a pilot scheme.”

On a vote, the committee agreed to back the plans, and recommend to the Scottish Government that a pilot be established.

The committee’s report will be submitted to the Scottish Government later this month.

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