A 'universal basic income' involves a government or institution offering a flat cash payment to all adults and children whether they are in or out of work, replacing the existing welfare system.

Finland will trial the concept next year, and Switzerland held a referendum to introduce the system in June, which failed to get up.

Now one US charity, Give Directly, is about to conduct the largest trial of the approach by giving 26,000 poor, rural Kenyans a universal basic income for up to 12 years.