Hull has set its sights on becoming the first city in the UK to trial UBI (Universal Basic Income) after a proposal was backed by a group of councillors.

Proposals for the scheme are currently being considered, and if approved would mean that every adult who lives in the area would receive free cash – regardless of the situation. The payment would vary between £50 and £100 a week, and would aim to move towards a community where welfare isn’t required.

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While UBI could replace Universal Credit, people with disability benefits would be given an equal payment, and pensioners would also receive higher payments.

Liberal democrat councillor Paul Drake-Davis told the Yorkshire Post earlier this week:

“We live in a world of increasing job insecurity, where more and more people in Hull and across the UK are struggling to plan and build a better future for themselves and their families,”

“Instead, people are just focused on surviving month-to-month. There needs to be a change to the system.”

Hull City Council chief exec Matt Jukes is set to write to Chancellor Sajid Javid to formally request a trial of the scheme.

In March last year, think tank Compass revealed that they’d calculated child poverty could be reduced by a third if everyone in the UK was paid UBI.

Other cities to request the roll out of UBI are Liverpool and Sheffield.

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