Skip to main content
Site logo

Main navigation

  • Home
  • About Liam
  • News
  • Local Campaigns
  • Letters
  • Contact
Site logo

Universal Basic Income (5/20)

  • Tweet

Thank you for your email  about a universal basic income. Such ideas have, as I am sure you are aware, been subject to debate and discussion for some time. It is important that we have had this debate, and I hope that UBI-style systems continue to be subject to research and discussion, so that our approach to welfare can remain informed.

The question of feasibility is one we should consider. No matter how desirable a UBI-style programme might be, it must also be feasible in the present context of our economy. When considering feasibility, we must address whether such a programme would be affordable, and whether it could be introduced in a manner that prevented losses amongst the most vulnerable in our society.

A report from Compass, a think-tank, and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, found that UBI would be prohibitively expensive, would create too many losers among the poorest families, would dramatically increase the number of children living in poverty (as was also found in modelling by the Citizen’s Income Trust), and would dramatically increase inequality because it would not account for individual needs and circumstances.

The report found that the additional tax revenue required to support such a system could be as much as £160 billion. Such a figure would indicate that UBI systems would be unaffordable, even when the effect on individual behaviours in the labour market are not considered.

There are admittedly various models of UBI. The more we seek to introduce adjustments to something we call UBI to account for cost or undesirable effects, however, the closer we get to something which resembles Universal Credit.

Our current welfare system, built around Universal Credit, seeks to incentivise claimants to move off benefits and to provide tailored support to help people find work and increase their earnings.  

Letters

  • Big Plastic Count (5/22)
  • Bristol Airport - Reply from the Minister (5/22)
  • Energy Costs (05/22)
  • Animal Welfare Bills (4/22)
  • Availability of Cash (4/22)
  • LGBT Rights and Support (4/22)
  • Petrol Prices (4/22)
  • Processing Asylum Claims in Rwanda (4/22)
  • Portishead/Bristol Rail Link - Letter from the Minister at the Department of Transport (4/22)
  • Statement on the Prime Minister and No 10 Parties (4/22)
  • The Elections Bill and the Electoral Commission (4/22)
  • The Government's Approach to Building Safety (4/22)
  • Workforce Planning - Health and Care Bill (4/22)
  • Free Lateral Flow Tests - Care Home Visits (3/22)
  • Fur Trade and the Import of Foie Gras (3/22)
  • Lift the Ban - Asylum Seekers and Employment (3/22)
  • Online Safety Bill Petition (3/22)
  • P&O Ferries (3/22)
  • Persecution of Women and Girls (3/22)
  • The Fur Trade (3/22)
  • Animals in Science Regulation Unit (ASRU) - 3/22
  • Cladding Remediation Costs (3/22)
  • Domestic Abuse - Valerie's Law (3/22)
  • Ukraine - Sanctions (3/22)
  • Ukraine Update (3/22)
  • Ukrainian Air Space (3/22)
  • Ukrainian Refugee Crisis (03/2022)
  • Visas for Ukrainians (3/22)
  • Animal Sentience in the UK (2/22)
  • Dementia Research (2/22)
  • Energy Price Cap (2/22)
  • Expansion of Bristol Airport (2/22)
  • Fairtrade Fortnight and International Climate Finance (2/22)
  • Hate Crime and Misogony (2/22)
  • Pubs and Alcohol Duty (2/22)
  • The Hunting Act (2/22)
  • The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill (PCSC Bill) - 2/22
  • Parliamentary Standards - Owen Paterson (11/21)
  • Storm Overflows - Amendments (11/21)
  • Ambitious Environment Bill (10/21)
  • Fuel Supply Issues (10/21)
  • Food Plates Campaign (10/21)
  • Green Investment and the Spending Review  (10/21)
  • Ivory (10/21)
  • Live Animal Exports (10/21)
  • Climate Change (10/21)
  • Cambo Oil Field (9/21)
  • Dangerous Dogs (9/21)
  • Paying For Social Care (9/21)
  • Universal Credit (9/21)
  • Briefing Letter On Social Care (09/21)
  • The Building Safety Bill Second Reading (07/21)
  • Overseas Aid (06/21)
  • Reply from the Secretary of State - MHCLG (05/21)
  • NHS Pay Rise (3/21)
  • Sarah Everard Vigil (3/21)
  • Violence Against Women and Girls (3/21)
  • Coronavirus - Dementia (2/21)
  • Alcohol and Beer Duty (2/21)
  • Failand – Planning Proposals (2/21)
  • Neonicotinoids(2/21)
  • Sows – Farrowing Crates – Sir David Amess’s Bill (2/21)
  • MENCAP Campaign –  Vaccinations for People with Learning Disabilities  (1/21)
  • Vaccine Accessability for People with Sight Loss (1/21)
  • Briefing from DEFRA on the use of neonicotinoids (1/21)
  • Alcohol and Beer Duty (01/21)
  • Clap for Carers (1/21)
  • Anti-Genocide Lords Amendment (01/21)
  • Food Parcels - quality of free school meals (1/21)
  • Covid 19 - Support for Pubs (01/21)
  • Environment Bill - Nature Recovery (01/21)
  • Environment Bill - Plastics (01/21)
  • Food Trade Standards and Future Trade Deals (01/21)
  • Treatment of Animals in Laboratories (01/21)
  • Working Time Regulations (01/21)
  • Mental Health of Children and Young People - Comprehensive Spending Review (9/20)
  • Update - Covid 19 (09/20)
  • Overseas Aid (12/20)
  • Support for Pubs (11/20)
  • Fur Trade (10/20)
  • MP's Pay Rise (10/20)
  • A Green and Fair Recovery (9/20)
  • EU/International Law (09/20)
  • Protection of Birds of Prey – Grouse Moors (8/20)
  • Creativity is required to reduce exam problems (08/20)
  • Supertrawlers (7/20)
  • Trade Bill (7/20)
  • Environment Bill (7/20)
  • Regular Coronavirus Testing for NHS Staff (6/20)
  • A Democratic Planning System (6/20)
  • Proposal to Extend the Transition Period – Social Market Foundation Report (6/20)
  • HS2 (5/20)
  • Universal Basic Income (5/20)
  • Ocean Protection (3/20)
  • NHS & International Trade (3/20)
  • EU Trade Agreements (02/20)

Dr Liam Fox MP Member of Parliament for North Somerset

Footer

  • About RSS
  • Accessibility
  • Cookies
  • Privacy
  • About Liam
  • Constituency
Promoted by Jago Brockway on behalf of Liam Fox, both at 16 Northgate, Bridgwater, Somerset, TA6 3EU
Copyright 2022 Dr Liam Fox MP Member of Parliament for North Somerset. All rights reserved.
Powered by Bluetree