An Emergency Universal Salary paid to all...

Who will be entitled to get this if it happens? Every single adult in Britain, just working ones, single parents, non working families on benefits

Also is it per person or per household

I’m lucky to be able to work from home for my client and still get paid - for now

My first thought when I heard about this is how they would quickly and fairly get the cash out to the people who need it.

My second thought was for a friend who works for a brewery and was told they would get paid on Thurs but there was no guarantee they would get paid next month.

Paying everyone the same doesn’t seem fair but I can see why they would do it. I can also see why people who don’t need it could distribute it to others/causes that do

@user246854 No-one knows

Ahhh ok, I currently have no idea if I'm going to be getting paid, I work in school covering 3 rolls (lunchtime, t/a and breakfast club) all different contracts... I'm really worried

I am lucky enough to be on a secure salary. If I get an extra payment from the govt I'll donate it to Refuge

Everywhere UBI has been trialed has seen a rise in people volunteering, starting businesses or social enterprises, or taking on more caring responsibilities in the family rather than outsourcing to nurseries, childminders or residential care. We need it urgently not only now but in the coming years because the landscape will have been changed beyond recognition when the immediate crisis is over. It’s the perfect solution to the looming social care crisis and the inevitable long recession. It appeals in principle to people on both the right wing and the left wing. The economy will need a massive cash injection, there is no way of getting round this, and trickle down economics doesn’t work. If people are given the means to start businesses or revive the ones killed by the lockdown, or ease the pressure on the welfare state by volunteering or becoming carers, it will help recovery enormously. There is no going back to ‘normal’ after this and people are being naive of they think there is. Nor should there be - people shouldn’t be having to choose between continuing so called non essential work and potentially infecting others, or being left penniless. And yet here we are.

It makes sense to be for every single adult.

They could just pay to all and the deduct equivalent amount from PAYE employees earnings over a threshold? Eg I I get 400/month from govt but am in permanent job so my income is unchanged they just 'tax' me an extra 400 so it all evens out for higher earners/employed people

Nice sentiments OP but agree with PPs that speed is of the essence. And if it is something that has to be claimed, some people who need it won’t claim out of pride/humility/sense of shame/low self-esteem/ fear of process.

There was a kid’s charity set up locally here, a school uniform one for struggling families. Took off massively. Inspired the Scottish government to create a school uniform grant funded jointly by it and local authorities. Administered in a similar way to free school meals.

But a lot of families don’t claim it because they are ashamed to, they don’t want the stigma, especially in small rural communities where everyone knows everyone’s business.

Making something universal means these families don’t feel shame by being helped. It also means everyone who feels stress or strain just now (even if that’s not particularly financial) feels helped and I think just about everyone needs that just now. It builds social cohesion.

If you don’t want it if it happens, donate to food bank or similar.

And every liberal system suffers from the problem of what to do with “free riders”. Sometimes you just have to choose that everyone who needs help, gets help, over no-one gets a free ride but some people who genuinely need help miss out.

I get where you’re coming from, but with the greatest respect, I think you’re missing the point a bit.

They could just pay to all and the deduct equivalent amount from PAYE employees earnings over a threshold? Eg I I get 400/month from govt but am in permanent job so my income is unchanged they just 'tax' me an extra 400 so it all evens out for higher earners/employed people

Tax/NIC will have to rise anyway once all this is over as the debt being racked up makes the 2008 crash look small. I can see all tax rates rise and NIC extended to occupational pensions and all other taxable income, to go some way towards paying down the debt. Those with incomes are going to have to pay for all this. So pay people a fixed "wage" during the crisis period, but those with other incomes will pay more tax/nic to compensate.

Most if not all people who earn over 100k have to do a tax return. If someone’s income for the tax year 4/2020-4/2021 is over £100k then any payment is recouped through the normal tax system?

Can I just ask for a link to anything about this? I’m wanting to no more I’ve lost my job this week and really don’t know what I’m going to do.

@tmh88 I'm really sorry you lost your job. Listen to the news today because apparently there's going to be a big announcement and what's going to happen financially. Nobody knows at the moment whether the government will go for an emergency universal salary, though.

@HollowTalk thank you I will do. Been in call queues to the bank etc the past 2 days much to DS (age 2) disapproval! Will stick it on now and hope it’s soon the announcement ha!

It'll probably be nearer to the 6 pm news time - I doubt there'll be any news mid-afternoon. Best of luck.

Yes they might give it to everyone and then just deduct it from the tax of those working.
It will stick in my throat a bit though if they do that, that low earners get nothing, but those who may still be high earners for the whole year get a government payout.

As others have said, means tearing would take too long, and it needs to be done quickly.

If it did happen, you could give yours to the food bank?

Tax/NIC will have to rise anyway once all this is over as the debt being racked up makes the 2008 crash look small. I can see all tax rates rise and NIC extended to occupational pensions and all other taxable income, to go some way towards paying down the debt

Or just a haircut from peoples savings, or a revaluation of the pound.

Does anyone know anything about that or is it probable bull?

I hadn't heard that 😬 Not sure how that would work for me - I was employed and quite well paid for most of last tax year. This tax year I've spent a good chunk of my savings setting up a tiny business that was looking promising but has had almost all work for this year disappear in the space of four days. I'm not eligible for the grants because I don't have separate business premises.

Some of the brightest people work for and advise the government.

This is a stimulus in disguise. It's not the first time it has been done in other countries.

The US govt did this when the auto industry collapsed in Obama era. You will find a lot of this money will go right back into the economy through debt repayments, goods purchase, savings.

I think they should be spraying money indiscriminately at the level of individuals. We are looking at a once in a hundred years depression here.

I’d send every adult in the country a cheque for £1000 a month.

Yup lots of problems with it but better than the alternatives and easy to administer. Don’t worry about the high earners. They’ll be paying for it all in taxes anyway. UBI.

Some of the brightest people work for and advise the government

Which doesn't really mean much if the government ain't listening ...

Is this a thing they’re actually considering? It could be a huge relief for us.
Agree with this, but for me there is no "us" so cos I single, no kids and not on a good wage so not entitled to any help whatsoever. This would massively help, especially as shelves are bare round here. Means I could get a few bits from the more expensive corner shops etc.
I so lucky I work for police so still going to work when going back from leave on Monday so still get my pay. But if they brought this in, I would be so grateful

My maths is dreadful but paying £1000 per month to 50,000,000 adults for 3 months would be 150,000,000 wouldn't it?

Yep, you're quite a long way out £150,000,000 would pay 50 million adults a pound a month for 3 months

We don't need this at the moment but who knows what will happen within the next few months. A lot more jobs that have up until now been secure will be at risk. If this is offered I'd take it and ringfence it until such time as either our jobs go and we need it to pay the mortgage, or the crisis is over and we haven't used it, in which case we'd either donate it to charity or spend it on supporting small businesses trying to rebuild.