Basic Income Motion

This suggested motion is being hosted on our blog on behalf of Labour for a Basic Income.

This CLP notes with interest the results of the Basic Income trial in Finland. In the basic income experiment, 2,000 unemployed persons were paid a monthly tax-exempt basic income of 560 euros regardless of any other income they may have had or whether they were actively looking for work. The basic income recipients were selected through random sampling among those who in November 2016 received an unemployment benefit from Kela (Social Insurance Institution of Finland). The control group consisted of those who in November 2016 received an unemployment benefit from Kela but were not selected for the experiment.

The experiment was begun on 1 January 2017 and ended on 31 December 2018. The decision to conduct the experiment was made by the Government of the then Prime Minister Juha Sipilä. The aim was to study how it would be possible to reshape the Finnish social security system so that it better meets the challenges posed by changes in working life. The experiment was implemented by Kela (the Social Insurance Institution of Finland). The trial found that Basic Income over a two-year period led to:

●         A greater feeling of economic security.

●         Improved levels of mental health and wellbeing.

●         A small increase in employment - the trial found that those receiving the basic income spent slightly more days at work than the control group.

●         People having a greater trust in others and public institutions.

Considering the results in Finland this CLP urges the Labour Party as a political party focused on improving economic security and personal wellbeing to:

●         Set up and recognise a Labour for a Basic Income.