Leading thinkers, politicians and policymakers come together to debate and explore basic income pilots, macro-economic models, the prospects for basic income in developing economies, and political economy of social and economic change.

Join us for ‘Back to Basics: Income for Everyone?’ – the third conference from the University of Bath Institute for Policy Research (IPR) and Bristol Ideas, supported by the Basic Income Forum.

In recent years, interest in basic income has grown around the world. Basic income is an unconditional income paid to every individual. It is a payment that is not means-tested or made conditional on work-status. Advocates of basic income argue that it represents a fair, simple and efficient way of supporting individuals, in contrast to the complexity and intrusiveness of existing welfare states. Many also argue that automation and the rise of precarious work makes a basic income necessary to replace or supplement wage labour.

The Covid-19 pandemic and cost of living crisis has thrown these issues into sharp relief, as governments around the world have scrambled to close gaps in social safety nets and prevent people falling into poverty. At the same time, treasuries and central banks have mobilised the full range of fiscal and monetary policies to prevent today’s crises tipping economies into deep recessions. State intervention in the economy has expanded, while ideological support for austerity has sharply receded. Arguments about whether a basic income is affordable are being made in a dramatically changed intellectual and political context.

Experiments with basic income schemes or pilots have multiplied in towns, cities and countries across the globe. Coalitions of city and state leaders supporting basic income have sprung up, and many more political parties, in the UK and elsewhere, now include commitments to basic income in their manifestos. In contrast, supporters of increased investment in existing welfare states and universal public services argue that basic income is an expensive distraction that delivers little bang for the buck. Prospects for a fully-fledged basic income, covering whole populations, still appear remote.

At this conference, leading thinkers, politicians and policymakers will come together to debate and explore these issues and more.

Once you have registered, you will be able to navigate between the different sessions by clicking on the 'Schedule' bar just above the video feed.