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Discover the timeline of Universal Basic Income Projects Worldwide.

As the world faces political, economic and societal challenges in rapidly changing societal circumstances, more and more governments are considering Universal Basic Income as a solution as the UN Secretary-General Antonio Gutteres urged in his speech on May 31, 2022.

A Timeline of Basic Income Projects in the World.

3

Types of
UBI
Projects

2020 - Present

Germany

This is a long-term three-year study with as many as one million applicants who must be 18 years of age and reside in Germany.  Winnowed down to 1500 randomly selected people, 120 will receive 1,200 euros per month ($1,420) for three years crowd-funded by 140,000 people.  The other 1380 will serve as a control group. Universal.

READ MORE HERE 

2020 - Present
2020 - Present

Spain

The Spanish Government approved a guaranteed minimum income for 850,000 households on May 29, 2020. It will provide a minimum of $514 to a maximum of $1,230 per month depending on the size of the household. This program is expected to reach some 2.3 million people including adults between the ages of 23 and 65. Conditional.

READ MORE HERE 

2020 - Present
2020

Japan

Launched in April by Yusaku Maezawa, the Maezawa Basic Income Social Experiment 2020 is a private giveaway ofnearly $9.5 million to one thousand people randomly chosen from Maezawa’s 4.3 million followers who retweeted his tweet.  One group will receive a lump sum and the other, a monthly payment for a year. Unconditional.

READ MORE HERE 

2020
2019 – Present

Germany

The privately funded HartzPlus experiment was launched in 2019 and involves 250 randomly selected welfare recipients who will receive $450 a month for three years regardless of their status in the welfare system. Unconditional.

READ MORE HERE 

2019 – Present
2017 – 2019

Barcelona, Spain

Sponsored by the Barcelona City Council, the B-MINCOME project is a two-year Randomized Control Trial for 1,000 randomly selected households from the city’s poorest districts.  They receive a maximum cash transfer of $1,810 a month. Unconditional.

READ MORE HERE  or HERE

2017 – 2019
2017 – 2019

Ontario, Canada

The pilot project was launched in 2018 in the communities of Hamilton, Brantford, Thunder Bay and Lindsay.  Participants of the project were randomly selected among residents of the regions aged 18–64. The financial threshold for inclusion was $24,380 per year for singles or $34,420 per year for couples. In addition to the 4,000 participants, a comparison group was selected, who would not receive the basic income. It was meant to run for 3 years but was cancelled after about 17 months by a newly elected provincial government. Unconditional.

READ MORE HERE  or HERE

2017 – 2019
2017 – 2019

Finland

The Government of Finland tested basic income as a potential new model for the Finnish social security system, providing a payment of 560 Euro (approximately $625) per month to 2000 persons. The experiment has a research focus on studying the effects of the provision of basic income on employment. and recipient wellbeing. Conditional.

READ MORE HERE 

2017 – 2019
2017 – Present

Kenya

GiveDirectly is a privately funded project that has already distributed millions of dollars to 20,000 individuals living across 197 villages, and an additional 100 villages have been surveyed as a control group. Some individuals will receive payments for 12 years, and the full research study they have undertaken will last at least that long, but initial results are expected in 2020. Unconditional.

READ MORE HERE 

2017 – Present
2013 – Present

Brazil

Brazil has been investigating UBI since 1975. The City of Maricá is currently providing $282 per year to 42,000 beneficiaries. To qualify, individuals need to be entered in the National Register, belong to households earning less than three times the Brazilian minimum salary, and have lived in Maricá for three years. Conditional.

READ MORE HERE 

2013 – Present
2011 – Present

Iran

In 2011, the government started monthly deposits of cash into individual family accounts amounting to 29% of the median household income. It was implemented based on several years of oil-induced economic growth. That changed markedly in 2012 when economic sanctions were imposed on Iran. Universal.

READ MORE HERE 

2011 – Present
2011 – 2013

India

Madhya Pradesh Unconditional Cash Transfer Program funded by UNICEF was conducted by the Self-Employed Women’s Association for a year and a half. The pilot project studied 20 villages: eight where unconditional cash payments were made monthly to every individual, and 12 control villages where no payments were made. Unconditional.

READ MORE HERE 

2011 – 2013
2008 – Present

Brazil

In 2008, a Brazilian nonprofit, ReCivitas Institute, administered a basic income, funded by private donors, in the village of Quatinga Velho. One hundred residents received 30 reais (about $8) per month. The program has been made permanent and the amount increased to 40 reais (about $10) per month. Unconditional.

READ MORE HERE 

2008 – Present
2008 -2009

Namibia

In January 2008, a Basic Income Grant (BIG) pilot project was launched in the Otjivero-Omitara area. All residents below the age of 60 years received a grant of N$100 ($5.43) per person per month, without any conditions being attached. The grant was given to every person registered as living there in July 2007, whatever their social and economic status. Universal.

READ MORE HERE 

2008 -2009
1974 – 1979

Canada

The province of Manitoba and the federal government funded a guaranteed annual income in Winnipeg and Dauphin. Low-income residents in Winnipeg (excluding persons with disabilities and retirees) were randomly selected to receive one of three levels of income support: $3,500, $4,500 or $5,500 (equivalent to $18,325, $22,239 and $28,796 in 2020), indexed to inflation. Unconditional.

READ MORE HERE 

1974 – 1979

Here is a comprehensive list of countries that are considering some form of basic income guarantee.

Scott Santens

EDITOR, BIT

Writer and unconditional basic income advocate who believes our civilization is better than this.

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