A basic income to all citizens, regardless of employment status, would overcome the benefits trapSusan Jeynes
In A etter to the press this week, Susan Jeynes, our Press Officer and candidate for Kirkcaldy North Ward said:
"Sir, - Fife Greens strongly support the proposal to introduce a universal basic income scheme in Fife.
"By providing a basic income to all citizens, regardless of employment status, this scheme would overcome the benefits’ trap, whereby some people on benefits cannot currently afford the reduction in income that would result from them getting a job."
"It would also enable people to choose their own types and patterns of work, and assist people to engage in personally satisfying and socially useful work."
"The Scottish Green Party has long been a proponent of such a scheme. Under Green proposals, the level would be set at a level high enough to allow people to provide their basic needs of shelter, food, clothing and heating from this source alone, and would aim to ensure that nobody would be worse off than under the benefits they are entitled to at the time of introduction."
"The cost of this could be funded through the reduced costs of administering the current complicated benefits system, which would be greatly simplified as a result of the change."