A universal basic income scheme is to be trialled in Wales, meaning adults, regardless of their means, will receive a regular sum of money. First Mini

Wales will put the concept of universal basic income to the test.

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2021-05-15 12:38:55

A universal basic income scheme is to be trialled in Wales, meaning adults, regardless of their means, will receive a regular sum of money.

First Minister Mark Drakeford said the pilot would "see whether the promises that basic income holds out are genuinely delivered" in people's lives.

Mr Drakeford said a pilot would "need to be carefully designed to make sure that it is genuinely adding income for the group of people we are able to work with".

"It'll have to be carefully crafted to make sure that it is affordable and that it does it within the powers available to the Senedd.

"We need to make an early start on designing the pilot to make sure that we have the best chance of operating a pilot that allows us to draw the conclusions from it that we would all want to see."

Supporters of the idea have said it provides a safety net for people who are unemployed or have irregular work, allowing them time to find a new job or learn new skills.