Can Universal Basic Income work for disabled people? An examination of existing UK organisational and academic positions

Elliott Aidan Johnson; Howard Reed; Matthew Johnson

doi:10.1080/09687599.2023.2233688

Can Universal Basic Income work for disabled people? An examination of existing UK organisational and academic positions

Elliott Aidan Johnson^*, Howard Reed, Matthew Johnson

^*Corresponding author for this work

School of Communities and Education

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

5 Citations (Scopus)

106 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Universal Basic Income (UBI) has been proposed as a means of addressing a range of issues relating to welfare systems, including by removing disincentives to economic, social and physical activity. However, UK disability organisations and figures have expressed concerns about whether UBI could lead to unintended consequences for people who currently receive support conditional on needs, means and/or behaviour. In this article, we outline prominent positions regarding disabled people in the literature on UBI and welfare reforms. We find that while there are reservations about the intentions and designs of UBI, there are means of securing positive outcomes and collaboration between its supporters and disability organisations. We also attempted a consultation but were unable to obtain a significant response. This was sometimes due to an expressed inability to respond meaningfully. This serves as a call for organisations to engage with UBI as a key issue of interest to disabled people.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	2900-2919
Number of pages	20
Journal	Disability & Society
Volume	39
Issue number	11
Early online date	14 Jul 2023
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/09687599.2023.2233688
Publication status	Published - 1 Nov 2023

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 1 No Poverty
SDG 2 Zero Hunger
SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being
SDG 10 Reduced Inequalities

Keywords

Disability organisations
disabled people
Universal Basic Income
welfare
means-testing
conditionality

Access to Document

10.1080/09687599.2023.2233688Licence: CC BY

Can_Universal_Basic_Income_work_for_disabled_people_An_examination_of_existing_UK_organisational_and_academic_positionsAccepted author manuscript, 220 KBLicence: CC BY
Can Universal Basic Income work for disabled people An examination of existing UK organisational and academic positionsFinal published version, 1.68 MBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

@article{9c998d7c519d494c8f4204b52b119b9e,

title = "Can Universal Basic Income work for disabled people? An examination of existing UK organisational and academic positions",

abstract = "Universal Basic Income (UBI) has been proposed as a means of addressing a range of issues relating to welfare systems, including by removing disincentives to economic, social and physical activity. However, UK disability organisations and figures have expressed concerns about whether UBI could lead to unintended consequences for people who currently receive support conditional on needs, means and/or behaviour. In this article, we outline prominent positions regarding disabled people in the literature on UBI and welfare reforms. We find that while there are reservations about the intentions and designs of UBI, there are means of securing positive outcomes and collaboration between its supporters and disability organisations. We also attempted a consultation but were unable to obtain a significant response. This was sometimes due to an expressed inability to respond meaningfully. This serves as a call for organisations to engage with UBI as a key issue of interest to disabled people.",

keywords = "Disability organisations, disabled people, Universal Basic Income, welfare, means-testing, conditionality",

author = "Johnson, \{Elliott Aidan\} and Howard Reed and Matthew Johnson",

note = "Funding information: This work was supported by the Wellcome Trust under Grant 223553/Z/21/Z.",

year = "2023",

month = nov,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1080/09687599.2023.2233688",

language = "English",

volume = "39",

pages = "2900--2919",

journal = "Disability \& Society",

issn = "0968-7599",

publisher = "Taylor \& Francis",

number = "11",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Can Universal Basic Income work for disabled people? An examination of existing UK organisational and academic positions

AU - Johnson, Elliott Aidan

AU - Reed, Howard

AU - Johnson, Matthew

N1 - Funding information: This work was supported by the Wellcome Trust under Grant 223553/Z/21/Z.

PY - 2023/11/1

Y1 - 2023/11/1

N2 - Universal Basic Income (UBI) has been proposed as a means of addressing a range of issues relating to welfare systems, including by removing disincentives to economic, social and physical activity. However, UK disability organisations and figures have expressed concerns about whether UBI could lead to unintended consequences for people who currently receive support conditional on needs, means and/or behaviour. In this article, we outline prominent positions regarding disabled people in the literature on UBI and welfare reforms. We find that while there are reservations about the intentions and designs of UBI, there are means of securing positive outcomes and collaboration between its supporters and disability organisations. We also attempted a consultation but were unable to obtain a significant response. This was sometimes due to an expressed inability to respond meaningfully. This serves as a call for organisations to engage with UBI as a key issue of interest to disabled people.

AB - Universal Basic Income (UBI) has been proposed as a means of addressing a range of issues relating to welfare systems, including by removing disincentives to economic, social and physical activity. However, UK disability organisations and figures have expressed concerns about whether UBI could lead to unintended consequences for people who currently receive support conditional on needs, means and/or behaviour. In this article, we outline prominent positions regarding disabled people in the literature on UBI and welfare reforms. We find that while there are reservations about the intentions and designs of UBI, there are means of securing positive outcomes and collaboration between its supporters and disability organisations. We also attempted a consultation but were unable to obtain a significant response. This was sometimes due to an expressed inability to respond meaningfully. This serves as a call for organisations to engage with UBI as a key issue of interest to disabled people.

KW - Disability organisations

KW - disabled people

KW - Universal Basic Income

KW - welfare

KW - means-testing

KW - conditionality

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85165060200

U2 - 10.1080/09687599.2023.2233688

DO - 10.1080/09687599.2023.2233688

M3 - Article

SN - 0968-7599

VL - 39

SP - 2900

EP - 2919

JO - Disability & Society

JF - Disability & Society

IS - 11

ER -

Can Universal Basic Income work for disabled people? An examination of existing UK organisational and academic positions

Abstract

UN SDGs

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

What role do young people believe Universal Basic Income can play in supporting their mental health?

Commissioned Book Review. Matthew Smith, The First Resort: A History of Social Psychiatry in the United States

How Far Can Interventions to Increase Income Improve Adolescent Mental Health? Evidence From the UK Millennium Cohort Study and Next Steps

Health and disability benefits reform roundtable hosted by Minister of State for Social Security and Disability

Health and disability benefits reform roundtable hosted by Minister of State for Social Security and Disability

The need for basic income in our communities

Basic Income: changing policy, designing trials, evaluating impact

Cite this

Can Universal Basic Income work for disabled people? An examination of existing UK organisational and academic positions

Abstract

UN SDGs

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Research output

What role do young people believe Universal Basic Income can play in supporting their mental health?

Commissioned Book Review. Matthew Smith, The First Resort: A History of Social Psychiatry in the United States

How Far Can Interventions to Increase Income Improve Adolescent Mental Health? Evidence From the UK Millennium Cohort Study and Next Steps

Activities

Health and disability benefits reform roundtable hosted by Minister of State for Social Security and Disability

Health and disability benefits reform roundtable hosted by Minister of State for Social Security and Disability

The need for basic income in our communities

Impacts

Basic Income: changing policy, designing trials, evaluating impact

Cite this