LIKE many other people, I found the first clap for NHS workers and carers a moving tribute.

Leaving aside issues around PPE equipment or staff testing, not to mention years of underfunding health and social care, it was in itself a fitting appreciation of the individuals doing incredible work for all of us.

There have also been moves to recognise the many others still working hard on the frontline. The list, after all, is considerable, taking in police, fire brigade, bus drivers, shelf-stackers, refuse collectors, shopkeepers, hospital staff, engineers, delivery drivers, and many others.

We should build on this sense of community togetherness and supporting each other through Covid-19. This is extremely challenging, however, when we continue to live in a very unequal society. The vast majority of the jobs listed above are amongst the poorest paid, some will be on zero hours contracts and will have few workers’ rights.

To cover the huge number of people who have been sacked, furloughed or can no longer trade, the UK Government has brought in a package of protections. Although these will have helped, they do not go far enough – the Health secretary Matt Hancock MP admitted himself he couldn’t live on the £92-a-week Statutory Sick Pay – nor do they cover everyone affected. The new measures introduced have also brought many complications, from long waiting lists to delayed payments.

This is, of course, on the back of the disastrous welfare cuts program, which has brought misery to many.

Coronavirus has shown what many have been saying for a long time, that the current welfare system is seriously out of touch with modern day work-life practices. We need genuine safety nets to cover all in society. A universal basic income (UBI), often called a citizen’s basic income, provides a great opportunity to deliver this.

Spain grabbed the headlines this week with its proposals for a universal basic income, but on closer scrutiny it looks more like targeted support for unemployed people. This measure may well bring benefit to some, but does not seem to be universal nor unconditional.

A UBI, if delivered properly with no conditions and universally, would mean everyone in society would have enough money to meet basic requirements to live a decent life and would be protected in a crisis.

Having a solid monthly income would provide opportunities currently not available to many to study and achieve a better work-life balance, as well as benefit the economy through people following their dreams of starting their own business. Workers would also feel better able to reject minimum wage, zero-hour contracts.

Having a universal service means it is far less likely to be removed on a whim by a government, and creates a stronger sense of resilience and community togetherness.

A universal basic income is something which has had many diverse supporters across Scotland and the wider UK. There are many groups in civil society who have been pushing for this for a long time, as well as politicians at local and national level. A collective effort of Green, Labour and SNP councillors from Glasgow, Edinburgh, North Ayrshire and Fife, have been exploring the feasibility of a CBI, with a report due later this year.

It would be foolish to think a UBI would resolve economic inequality in our society. It must not be seen as a replacement to any other core services, such as proper support for those with disabilities, or other universal basic services, and needs a fairer tax system to complement it.

But a universal basic income is an idea whose time has come and its introduction would provide a simpler and far more compre-hensive cover to those impacted by Covid-19 then the UK Govern-ment are currently doing.