A Universal Basic Income is an unconditional regular payment given to every person in society. We believe a basic level of financial security should be a fundamental and universal right shared by all, and that a UBI can be this generation’s NHS; symbolising a new economic contract in a post-COVID world in the same way the NHS did after WW2.

The COVID-19 crisis has exposed many of the failings of the current economic system, and as we move towards a ‘new normal’ attention is rightly focused on how we can kickstart the economy, protect livelihoods and rebuild household finances in a fair and sustainable way. We propose a temporary a 'Recovery Basic Income (rUBI)' as a means to help us build back better in a post-pandemic world, and achieve a fair and inclusive economic recovery.

This would consist of direct payments of £1000 per month for every working age adult and £500 per month for every child in Northern Ireland. This would be funded by direct subvention by the UK Government or through borrowing by the NI Executive and would cost approximately £2.75bn. This is approximately 6% of NI's GDP and substantially less per person than the 2008 bank bailout or the estimated cost of the Job Retention Scheme.  

You can read UBI Lab Northern Ireland's full proposal for a Recovery UBI here, or download a PDF of the proposal here.