Exploring Benefits and Costs: Challenges of Implementing Citizen’s Basic Income in Scotland

Faced with extremely high levels of poverty and inequality, four local authorities in Scotland are proposing to introduce pilot Unconditional Basic Income (UBI) schemes in their respective areas. Much of civic society in Scotland is supporting the implementation of these experiments to explore different UBI models, consider how they might be funded and assess public approval. The Scottish Government has established funding to undertake studies into the possible pilot schemes, in particular to evaluate their political, financial, behavioural, psychological and institutional feasibilities. UBI is also being promoted by key agencies such as CBINS (Citizen’s Basic Income Network Scotland). This chapter suggests the main driver for these UBI pilots is the alleviation of poverty and inequality and discusses how these schemes and subsequently a Scotland-wide basic income might address the inequalities that generate poor living standards for many. After noting poverty is embedded amongst those dependent on welfare benefits through long-term illness, disability, unemployment, lone parenthood, the chapter confirms that most in poverty are in working households, while most self-employed also have low standards of living. The major barrier to introducing any UBI in Scotland, however, is argued to be the opposition of the Conservative UK Government and its Treasury, social protection and tax departments; independence would allow a Scotland-wide scheme to be introduced without these particular constraints.