Basic Income UK

This is a really positive step.

Scottish Labour Party’s proposal to top up artists’ incomes to a living wage is a pilot for direct cash support in a sector where income is often irregular and insecure.

We’ve seen something similar work in Ireland — and the results matter:
✔ more creative output
✔ better wellbeing
✔ less financial stress

That’s what income stability does.

Let’s be clear though — this isn’t Universal Basic Income.

It’s:
– targeted
– conditional
– limited to one sector

But that doesn’t make it unimportant. Quite the opposite.

What it does is test a simple, powerful idea:
👉 what happens when people have a secure income floor?

And artists are a strong test case:
– highly skilled
– socially valuable
– often poorly rewarded by the market

If stability improves outcomes here… it raises a bigger question:

Why stop at one sector?

Care workers, freelancers, retail staff, gig workers — millions of people face the same income insecurity.

This is how change often happens:
pilot → evidence → wider policy

So yes — support this.

Because once we accept that income stability helps people thrive,
the case for broader guarantees — and ultimately something like UBI — becomes much harder to ignore.

Scottish Labour is proposing a basic income-style boost for artists. Anas Sarwar has pledged £30m to top up incomes for artists to a living wage, supporting up to 1,000 creatives in a pilot inspired by Ireland’s model. https://zurl.co/XQ8EJ

What happens when income is unconditional?

This short documentary Unconditional explores real-world pilots in India and Bangladesh where entire communities received a basic income.

The results are consistent with what we’ve seen globally:
• improved financial stability
• reduced stress
• better health and wellbeing
• greater agency and participation

It starts from a simple truth: in a money-based society, people need income to survive.

When that’s guaranteed, everything changes.

This isn’t about replacing work — it’s about creating a foundation people can build from.

UBI is income security. And income security strengthens people, communities and economies.

Well worth a watch 👇

Unconditional - Documentary screening and discussion about implications for research, policy and practice Join us for a lunchtime online screening of Unconditional, a 30 minute documentary exploring what becomes possible when income security is treated as a foundation for dignity rather than something people must earn through compliance. The screening will be followed by a short facilitated discussion r...