A select group of Jarrow residents could soon see £1,600 per month in a trial for a brand-new universal basic income scheme across England.
Thirty people across the United Kingdom could receive the no strings attached lump sum to see how it impacts their physical and mental health - with 15 people in the South Tyneside constituency and 15 people in East Finchley, London to be put forward to participate.
Anyone living in Jarrow can put themselves forward, and each candidate will be randomly selected. However, 20 per cent of all places allocated will go to people considered to have disabilities.
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The plan is being proposed by researchers from think tank Autonomy, who are looking to launch a two-year pilot programme. Those favouring the scheme argue that a universal basic income will help tackle poverty across the board - but critics have countered that it will be too costly.
Autonomy estimates that the basic income payments will amount to £1.15million over a two year span, with further costs in the region of £500,000 for elements like evaluation and research. The project is receiving support from charity Big Local, as well as Northumbria University, and follows on from two years of consultations.
A similar scheme is currently being trialled across Wales for hundreds of youngsters who have just hit 18 who have been brought up in care - with Iran, India, Canada and parts of the United States of America also prior testing out similar proposals.
Director of Research at Autonomy, Will Stronge, said: "A guaranteed Basic Income could be transformative for welfare in this country. All the evidence shows that it would directly alleviate poverty and boost millions of people’s wellbeing: the potential benefits are just too large to ignore.
"With the decades ahead set to be full of economic shocks due to climate change and new forms of automation, basic income is going to be a crucial part of securing livelihoods in the future."
Co-Founder of Basic Income Conversation, Cleo Goodman, added: "We’re hopeful that this plan will result in the first ever Basic Income pilots in England. No one should ever be facing poverty, having to choose between heating and eating, in one of the wealthiest countries in the world.
"Basic income has the potential to simplify the welfare system and tackle poverty in Britain."
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