Economics · Literature

Research papers on Universal basic income

Recent and highly-cited academic work on universal basic income, gathered from Semantic Scholar, CrossRef and OpenAlex.

1. Exploring Universal Basic Income: A Guide to Navigating Concepts, Evidence, and Practices

   U. Gentilini, M. Grosh, Jamele Rigolini, et al. · 2019 · World Bank Publications · 163 citations

   Universal basic income (UBI) is emerging as one of the most hotly debated issues in development and social protection policy. But what are the features of UBI? What is it meant to achieve? How do we know, and what don’t we know, about its performance? What does it take to implement it in practice? Drawing from global evidence, literature, and survey data, this volume provides a framework to elucidate issues and trade-offs in UBI with a view to help inform choices around its appropriateness and feasibility in different contexts. Specifically, the book examines how UBI differs from or complements other social assistance programs in terms of objectives, coverage, incidence, adequacy, incentives

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2. The public health effects of interventions similar to basic income: a scoping review

   Marcia Gibson, W. Hearty, P. Craig · 2020 · The Lancet. Public Health · 125 citations

   Summary Universal, unconditional basic income is attracting increasing policy and academic interest. Income is a key health determinant, and a basic income could affect health through its effect on other determinants, such as employment. However, there is little evidence of its potential effects on public health, because no studies of interventions which meet the definition of basic income have been done. However, there is evidence from studies of interventions with similarities to basic income. Therefore, we aimed to identify these studies and to consider what can be learned from them about the potential effects of such interventions on health and socioeconomic outcomes. We did a systematic

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3. The mental health effects of a Universal Basic Income: A synthesis of the evidence from previous pilots.

   N. Wilson, S. McDaid · 2021 · Social science & medicine · 73 citations

   INTRODUCTION Amongst its advocates, one of the key arguments for a Universal Basic Income (UBI) is its potential to improve population mental health. However, while previous authors have variously examined the potential effects of UBI on income, employment and labour market demand, the direct mental health consequences of previous pilots have been less frequently examined. The purpose of this paper is therefore to conduct a review of the literature on UBI and to re-examine the existing research with a mental health focus. METHODS Six electronic databases were used to conduct a review of the literature. We searched for empirical research studies of any design, conducted since the year 2000

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4. Is There Empirical Evidence on How the Implementation of a Universal Basic Income (UBI) Affects Labour Supply? A Systematic Review

   Manuela A. de Paz-Báñez, María José Asensio-Coto, Celia Sánchez-López, et al. · 2020 · Sustainability · 39 citations

   The objective of this article is to determine, as conclusively as possible, if the implementation of a Universal Basic Income (UBI) would lead to a significant reduction in the working age population labour supply. If this were true, implementation of a UBI may not be sustainable. To do this, we will compile empirical evidence from studies over the last few decades on the effects of implementation of a UBI on employment. We apply the PRISMA methodology to better judge their validity, which ensures maximum reliability of the results by avoiding biases and making the work reproducible. Given that the methodologies used in these studies are diverse, they are reviewed to contextualize the result

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5. Designing trials of Universal Basic Income for health impact: identifying interdisciplinary questions to address.

   M. Johnson, E. Johnson, D. Nettle, et al. · 2020 · Journal of public health · 38 citations

   BACKGROUND A large body of evidence indicates the importance of upstream determinants to health. Universal Basic Income (UBI) has been suggested as an upstream intervention capable of promoting health by affecting material, biopsychosocial and behavioural determinants. Calls are emerging across the political spectrum to introduce an emergency UBI to address socioeconomic insecurity. However, although existing studies indicate effects on health through cash transfers, UBI schemes have not previously been designed specifically to promote health. METHODS In this article, we scope the existing literature to set out a set of interdisciplinary research challenges to address in designing a trial

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6. Potential effects of universal basic income: a scoping review of evidence on impacts and study characteristics

   Marcia Gibson, Wendy Hearty, Peter Craig · 2018 · The Lancet · 27 citations

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7. Universal basic education and the vulnerability to poverty: evidence from compulsory education in rural China

   Yuping Yang, Xiao-Dong Guo · 2020 · Journal of the Asia Pacific Economy · 26 citations

   Abstract This article studies the effects of universal basic education on the vulnerability to poverty in rural China while exploring this mechanism from a capability perspective. A regression-discontinuity design based on the implementation of compulsory education is used to identify the effects with household data. We find that compulsory education has significantly reduced the vulnerability to poverty by popularizing basic education in rural China. Regarding the mechanism itself, vulnerability to structural poverty is the primary source of vulnerability in rural China. Universal basic education’s effect on reducing vulnerability to structural poverty is larger than that on reducing vulner

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8. Exploring the Health Case for Universal Basic Income: Evidence from GPs Working with Precarious Groups

   Matthew Johnson, Dan Degerman, Robert Geyer · 2019 · Basic Income Studies · 19 citations

   This article draws upon clinical experience of GPs working in a deprived area of the North East of England to examine the potential contribution of Universal Basic Income to health by mitigating ‘patient-side barriers’ among three cohorts experiencing distinct forms of ‘precariousness’: 1) long-term unemployed welfare recipients with low levels of education (lumpenprecariat); 2) workers on short-term/zero-hours contracts with low levels of education (‘lower’ precariat); 3) workers on short-term/zero-hours contracts with relatively high levels of education (‘upper’ precariat). We argue that any benefits must be accompanied by robust institutions capable of promoting health.

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

   E. Johnson, Hannah Webster, J. Morrison, et al. · 2023 · Journal of Youth Studies · 10 citations

   ABSTRACT The proportion of 16- to 24-year-olds in England reporting a longstanding mental health condition increased almost 10-fold between 1995 and 2014. Studies demonstrate an association between income and anxiety and depression, with bi-directional effects. There is also emerging evidence that cash transfers may mitigate, prevent or delay those conditions. This article presents qualitative data exploring the relationship between income and anxiety and depression and the prospective impact of Universal Basic Income (UBI) as a public health measure. Data was gathered from citizen engagement workshops with 28 young people aged 14–22 from Bradford, England. We present four findings: (i) part

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10. Prospective Health Impacts of a Universal Basic Income: Evidence from Community Engagement in South Tyneside, United Kingdom

    Neil Howard, Grace Gregory, E. Johnson, et al. · 2024 · International Journal of Social Determinants of Health and Health Services · 9 citations

    Studies have suggested that universal basic income (UBI) has the capacity to have substantial health benefits across the population at national level. Multiple impact pathways have recently been theorized and there are calls for trials to explore these pathways empirically. However, very limited research has taken place at local levels to explore potential context-specific effects, or how these effects could play out in economic, social, and behavioral changes. In order to examine these effects and to think through potential issues and unintended consequences, we brought together citizen engagement groups in Jarrow, South Tyneside, in the northeast of England to explore local people's expect

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11. Does informing citizens about the non-meritocratic nature of inequality bolster support for a universal basic income? Evidence from a population-based survey experiment

    Thijs Lindner, J. Mijs, W. de Koster, et al. · 2023 · European Societies · 9 citations

    ABSTRACT Despite citizens’ precarization and policymakers’ enthusiasm for a universal basic income (UBI), this alternative to targeted welfare has, curiously, received limited popular support. We theorize that this is due to people overestimating society's meritocratic nature. Accordingly, we field a randomized survey experiment with a representative sample of the Dutch population (n = 1,630) to investigate the impact of information provision about the non-meritocratic nature of wealth and ethnic inequality on support for a UBI. Informed by extant research indicating that citizens respond differently to the same information because of material circumstances or different worldviews, we furthe

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12. Caring Revolutionary Transformation: Combined Effects of a Universal Basic Income and a Public Model of Care

    Zuzana Uhde · 2018 · Basic Income Studies · 9 citations

    This paper explores the possibilities of the recognition and valuation of care by implementing an unconditional basic income (UBI) and presents a feminist redefinition of the concept of a UBI. The author proposes the notion of a caring revolutionary transformation as a process of institutionalising the social and economic conditions for recognition of care which is a cornerstone of struggles for women’s emancipation and gender equity. It is a process of practically realisable transformative steps which together with their combined and mutually reinforcing effects enable more radical social changes beyond a mere reform. The author argues that these transformative steps have to address two con

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13. The revolution will not be randomized: Universal basic income, randomized controlled trials, and ‘evidence-based’ social policy

    Malte Neuwinger · 2021 · Global Social Policy · 8 citations

    Organizations in various countries have launched large-scale randomized field experiments to evaluate the empirical effects of basic income. Surprisingly, scholars have paid only scarce attention to the way basic income experiments are actually run. To address this shortcoming, I present three case studies of basic income experiments in the Netherlands, Spain, and the United States. I ask: Why do experiments’ designs only remotely resemble the ‘paradigmatic’ model of basic income they are in fact interested in – universal, unconditional, individual payments, no means tests, and no work requirements? Interviewed researchers identify three types of constraints that prevent basic income experim

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14. La Renta Básica Universal basada en la evidencia

    Alberto Tena Camporesi · 2018 · Política y Sociedad · 7 citations

    The different pilot projects of Universal Basic Income (UBI) that have been implemented all over the world have raised an intense interest in Europe, both for the data they gathered and for their theoretical implications. This article analyzes the empirical evidence and the different models of experimentation that have been at work in UBI policies, with the aim to measure to what extent they are capable of offering a certain amount of predictability on UBI social impact. In order to do it, the intention, design and results obtained from different pilot projects and experimental models over time and in different countries are thouroughly analysed. In broad terms, we find that none of these ex

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15. Politics of Universal and Unconditional Cash Transfer: Examining Attitudes Toward Universal Basic Income

    Soomi Lee · 2021 · Basic Income Studies · 7 citations

    Universal Basic Income (UBI) is a periodic cash payment to all residents in a jurisdiction, without obligation. Universalism and unconditionality distinguish UBI from other redistributive policies that require means testing and certain behaviors to gain and maintain eligibility. Despite an increased interest in UBI, it is poorly understood how these two critical features – universalism and unconditionality – influence public attitudes toward UBI. This paper explores results of the eighth round of the European Social Survey and finds that people who support unconditionality are more likely to support UBI, as expected. But support for UBI is also significantly associated with a desire to help

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16. Near-Universal Basic Income

    Nir Eyal · 2010 · Basic Income Studies · 5 citations

    Under what I call ”Near-Universal Basic Income,” or NUBI, everyone receives a high level of basic income, except for the rich. NUBI is therefore only near-universal and it requires means-testing. It is an economic hybrid: a cross between Universal Basic Income (UBI) and conservative social relief. My thesis is that if standard considerations that are often advanced to support UBI against social relief are successful, then these combined considerations probably lend NUBI even greater support. Thus, UBI supporters should consider becoming NUBI supporters. The considerations I examine focus on (1) sufficiency; (2) cost cuts; (3) equality; (4) freedom; (5) the social bases of self-respect; and (

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17. Financial Incentives, Income Supplementation, Cash Transfer, and Universal Basic Income Interventions in Diabetes: Understanding Differences and Effectiveness: A Scoping Review

    Leonard E. Egede, J. Campbell, S. Linde, et al. · 2025 · Diabetes Care · 4 citations

    The objective of this review is to evaluate and summarize the evidence base for the effects of monetary intervention approaches (the use of positive monetary reinforcers and gains) on diabetes outcomes. A reproducible search using OVID Medline, PubMed, Scopus, and CINAHL was conducted. Articles published from database creation up to July 2024 were searched. Outcomes included hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), LDL, BMI, blood pressure, quality of life (QOL), psychosocial factors, self-care behaviors, and diabetes complications. A total of 13 articles met inclusion criteria and were included for final synthesis. Looking at the monetary approach across each study, eight used financial incentives, three us

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18. The Effects of a Universal Basic Income in Kenya

    T. Suri, A. Krueger, Michael Faye GiveDirectly, et al. · 2019 · 3 citations

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19. How Much Does Basic Income Cost? Modelling Basic Income as Universal Life Annuity

    Wee Chung Gan · 2019 · Basic Income Studies · 3 citations

    The cost of basic income is typically estimated for a particular year. However, to assess the financial feasibility of basic income, it is also important to consider how much basic income will cost in the future. This is especially important in countries experiencing an ageing population, where the proportion of workers is expected to shrink. This article considers basic income as a universal life annuity and develops two models based on actuarial concepts to estimate the flat tax rate required to finance basic income. The first model considers the cost of basic income over the lifetime of the current population and the second model additionally considers changing population dynamics. The pr

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20. Examining the potential impact of universal basic income on labor supply: Focusing on the South Korean models

    Seung-Ju Lee · 2024 · International Journal of Social Welfare · 2 citations

    One of the most contentious facets of universal basic income (UBI) debates revolves around its impact on labor supply. Against this backdrop, this study aims to replicate how labor supply responds to changes in net income caused by the implementation of UBI. Using data from the 15th wave of the National Survey of Taxes and Benefits (N = 9342) and a discrete choice simulation model, this study estimated labor supply outcomes under two specific UBI models. The results suggest that UBI exerts minimal negative effects on labor supply among full‐time and part‐time workers and appears to encourage labor force entry among unemployed individuals. These findings offer empirical evidence on UBI's effe

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21. Possible welfare benefits of basic income support: Evidence from a benefit incidence analysis in South Africa

    Carolyn Chisadza, M. Chitiga-Mabugu, R. Mabugu, et al. · 2024 · Annals of Public and Cooperative Economics · 2 citations

    The study investigates the potential welfare effect of basic income support (BIS) in reducing poverty and inequality in South Africa. Using the 2017 labour force survey and a benefit incidence analysis, we consider three BIS scenarios: (i) universal income support for those aged between 18 and 59; (ii) only those who are unemployed receive the benefit; and (iii) only unemployed individuals in extremely poor households defined by the food poverty line receive the benefit. Results show that BIS can reduce poverty and inequality. However, the specific effects of the BIS will depend on the targeting scenario considered. The universal BIS is more costly and has higher leakage, with more benefits

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22. Can universal basic income reduce poverty and improve children’s health?

    Reinhard Huss · 2023 · Archives of Disease in Childhood · 1 citations

    Recently, the Marmot report on health equity raised the alarm on the high and rising level of child poverty in the UK leading to adverse childhood experiences and deteriorating health outcomes. A basic income (BI) given to every person may reverse this trend of increasing poverty and illhealth. In 1797, Thomas Paine proposed a BI in agrarian justice as compensation for landed property, because the land generates income only for the few owners and deprives all other people of their natural common inheritance. Almost 200 years later, Evelyn Forget analysed a first BIlike intervention in the small Canadian town Dauphin, which showed a reduction in mental health problems, accidents and injuries.

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23. The Case Against the Universal Basic Income

    Le Dong Hai Nguyen · 2020 · SSRN Electronic Journal · 1 citations

    With the cost of implementation shrinking and robot-to-workers ratio skyrocketing, the effects of automation on our economy and society are more palpable than ever. According to various studies, over half of our jobs could be fully executed by machines over the next decade or two, with severe impacts concentrated disproportionately on manufacturing-focused developing countries. In response to the threat of mass displacement of labour due to automation, economists, politicians, and even the business community have come to see Universal Basic Income (UBI) as the panacea. This paper argued against a UBI by addressing its implementation costs and efficiency in mitigating the impact of automation

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24. Universal Basic Income and the Labour Market:A Microeconomic Analysis with Evidence from InternationalExperiments

    Bofan Ren · 2026 · Advances in Economics, Management and Political Sciences

    Universal Basic Income (UBI) has gained increasing attention as a potential policy response to labour market risks arising from automation, precarious employment and rising income inequality.Despite growing interest, its labour market effects remain highly contested, particularly regarding work incentives and employment outcomes. This paper examines the impact of UBI on labour market behaviour from a microeconomic perspective, integrating labourleisure choice, life-cycle consumption and occupational choice into a unified analytical framework. Using evidence from major international UBI-related experiments and programmesincluding the Finnish basic income experiment, the Alaska Permanent Fund

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