Many, many years ago the Liberal Party considered this for a much lower amount.
It's not as daft or unaffordable as it sounds (and as Damien says, we will have to do something to deal with the vast amount of jobs that will become automated).
If abuses can be dealt with, the benefits are:
- The payment would be taxable, so 20% (or more for higher taxpayers) would be clawed back.
- Perhaps it could withheld from those on the very top rate of tax?
- The Swiss intended to increase sales taxes to help fund their scheme. If this were to be levied on luxury goods, working people would have been compensated via their new payment. Those not working probably wouldn't be affected as they would need their basic income for the more essential things in life.
- The means tested Pension Credit to top up a pensioners income could be abolished and replaced by the new payment. This would make pensioners better off and avoid the means test that many current pensioners find humiliating.
- The savings in administration for benefits would be massively reduced.
- Student grants & loans for living costs could be scrapped along with the costs of administration.
- There would be virtually no fraud or error in the processing of benefits payments.
- There would be no need for costly Government projects to get people back to work.
- The number of disabled people having to be tested and retested would plummet, again leading to cost savings.
- Top up 'In Work benefits' like Housing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction, Working Tax Credits, Child Tax Credits etc would drop to only a small proportion of the workforce (or nil if it is assumed that no further help would be offered to those with higher needs).
- Carers Allowance could probably be abolished.
- Child Benefit could be abolished.
- Employers could be confident that those applying for jobs really want the position as opposed to complying with Jobcentre instructions to keep their benefits. Many employers are sick and tired of unsolicited enquiries about possible vacancies that the Jobcentre requires of current claimants.
- It would remove the stigma of being on benefits.
- Those able to work and find employment would have no need to resent paying towards those unable to work as they would be receiving the very same payment.
I think that with the financial and human benefits of this system, coupled with the world of work gearing up to change like never before, it's something that all Governments will have to consider.
It goes against everything that most people are taught ie you must work and earn your money etc, but if we don't do something the Government will be paying out more and more for staff to chase the increasing number of unemployed people who will be applying for an ever decreasing number of jobs.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-34066941
http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/n...ed-robots.html
---------- Post added at 17:13 ---------- Previous post was at 16:52 ----------
Quote:
Originally Posted by heero_yuy
If they'd accepted it can you imagine the tides of immigrants, I mean free money just for being there.  |
This is a very good point. The whole thing would collapse if we were to continue to allow unfettered immigration.
As time goes by, there will be even less work for our own citizens, let alone for immigrants.
You'd think that the Government would have learned the lessons of bringing in black people in the 1950's. The original plan by both parties was that they would come over, help us out with the shortage of people required to do unskilled jobs at the time and then return home.
What happened was that they formed relationships, had children, bought houses and became settled. Many then said that they would 'go back home' upon retirement.
But where was home? The passage of time meant that their former homes had changed beyond recognition, former friends, neighbours and family had moved, died or they no longer had anything in common.
It would have been far better to have put them on a (rolling if need be) temporary leave to remain basis.
That way everyone would know where they stood and there would be less resentment towards immigrants as they would only be here when they were actually helping us.
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I mean I would take it but I wouldn't vote for it. 
