This petition was submitted during the 2019-2024 parliament
Petition Implement Universal Basic Income to give home & food security through Covid-19
The government should implement an immediate Universal Basic Income trial for all UK residents to ensure home and food security through the coronavirus Covid-19 crisis, to support the needs of those that need to self-isolate as well as the public health at large, and the wider economy.
More details
The Covid-19 crisis means there will be an impact on society. The scientific & medical measures needed are paramount. The economy is pivotal to the UK, but relief is needed for people as well as businesses.
Trialling a Universal Basic Income for all residents would give home and food security, allowing people to make the right decisions for their families and wider society, whilst also keeping money flowing through the economy.
Doing this will reduce pressures caused by acts of desperation.
This petition is closed This petition ran for 6 months
Parliament debated this topic
This topic was debated on 17 September 2020
Government responded
This response was given on 30 March 2020
The Government does not believe a Universal Basic Income is the best method to tackle the extraordinary situation resulting from COVID-19, because it does not target help to those who need it most.
This Government has set out a substantial package of timely, targeted measures to provide financial assistance to people affected by COVID-19 and support the wider economy.
This includes:
• ensuring UK workers of any employer who is placed on the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme can keep their job, with the government paying up to 80% of a worker’s wages, up to a total of £2,500 per worker each month;
• providing a grant to self-employed individuals or partnerships, worth 80% of their profits up to a cap of £2,500 per month.
• increasing the standard rate in Universal Credit and Tax Credits by £20 a week for one year from April 6th, meaning claimants will be up to £1040 better off per year;
• making Statutory Sick Pay available from day one for those who must stay at home on government advice;
• ensuring the self-employed can now access in full Universal Credit at a rate equivalent to Statutory Sick Pay for employees;
• ensuring those affected by COVID-19 can apply for Universal Credit and receive up to a month’s advance upfront without physically attending a jobcentre; and
• providing nearly £1bn of additional support for renters, through increases in the generosity of housing benefit and Universal Credit. From April, Local Housing Allowance rates will pay for at least 30% of market rents in each area.
As both the Prime Minister and Chancellor have made clear, the Government will do whatever it takes to support people affected by COVID 19 and we have been clear in our intention that no one should be penalised for doing the right thing.
These are rapidly developing circumstances, we continue to keep the situation under review and will keep Parliament updated accordingly.
Department for Work and Pensions.
Related activity
Tell us what you want to know about the Government's response to coronavirus
As the result of the large numbers of petitions and signatures we've received on coronavirus, we will be putting your concerns and questions directly to the Government at an evidence session (a question and answer session with representatives from the Government) in the coming days.
Tell us what question(s) you'd like us to the ask the Government and experts in this short survey: https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/petitionscommittee/
We'll email you again to let you know more about the session, including when it's going to happen, who'll be taking part and how you can watch it live.
We will also email you a link to the video and a transcript of the session afterwards.
Who are we?
We are the House of Commons Petitions Committee. We are a cross-party group of MPs that looks at e-petitions submitted on petition.parliament.uk. We are independent from Government. You can find out more about us and our work on our website: http://www.parliament.uk/petitions-committee/role
You can follow the Petitions Committee on Twitter: @HoCpetitions
Petitions Committee questions Government on its response to coronavirus
We emailed people who had signed this petition by 16 March to ask for your questions about the Government’s response to coronavirus.
Thank you to everyone who sent us your questions: we received over 60,000.
We put the most requested questions to the Government Minister for Schools, the Minister for Disabled People and the Deputy Chief Medical Officer. These included:
- How long will schools be closed for and what will the impact be on exams and grades?
- What financial support will be available for the self-employed?
- What financial support will be offered to people who are unable to pay their rent or bills due to self-isolation or loss of work?
- What support will be offered to the events, creative and hospitality industries now that pubs, clubs and cultural venues have been closed?
- What clear, practical steps can people take to make sure they are following Government guidance on social distancing, household isolation and self-isolation?
- Who is being tested and why, and will tests be made freely available to everyone?
- What is the Government doing to ensure that everyone is getting the right information?
Watch the session on YouTube: https://youtu.be/aPLXJcZEfi8
Read the transcript: https://committees.parliament.uk/work/192/the-governments-response-to-coronavirus/publications/written-evidence/
Because of the large number of petitions that we continue to receive on coronavirus we have sent more questions to the Government to answer.
Read our letters to different Government Ministers: https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/326/petitions-committee/publications/3/correspondence/
Some of the questions we’ve asked include:
- When will testing capacity will be increased; who will testing be available for and will it be free?
- What is being done to tackle the spread of disinformation?
- How quickly will support for self-employed people be made available?
- What will happen to the school year? Will summer holidays be cancelled so that children can catch up?
- How are foodbanks being supported to continue operating during the outbreak?
- What is being done to address panic buying and prevent price hikes of key items?
- Will trains, buses and flights continue to operate? For how long?
We’ll email you again to let you know when we get a response to these questions, and to let you know about any more action the Committee takes.
Who are we?
We are the House of Commons Petitions Committee. We are a cross-party group of MPs that looks at e-petitions submitted on petition.parliament.uk. We are independent from Government. You can find out more about us and our work on our website.
You can follow the Petitions Committee on Twitter: @HoCpetitions.
Further information
You can read impartial House of Commons Library information about coronavirus here: https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/coronavirus/
You can find out more about coronavirus and how you can protect yourself and others here:
https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/
You can read NHS tips to help if you are worried about coronavirus here: https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters/coronavirus-covid-19-anxiety-tips
Share your experiences of accessing food coronavirus outbreak
Have you struggled to get your weekly shop? Are you self-isolating or shielding and relying on deliveries or food parcels? Do you use a foodbank?
A group of MPs called the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee would like to hear about your experiences of accessing food during the coronavirus outbreak.
You can share your experiences here: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=nt3mHDeziEC-Xo277ASzSsdf6aRbb_hHi61kcnJ3-KJUOFFXNEhLSDlFTUZaQzU1TlNEWVkwUVhHUC4u
They’d like to hear from you by 28 April. Your answers will help them to understand the issues people are facing and what questions MPs need to ask the Government.
They might publish some or all of your responses, or read them out when they’re asking questions in a public Committee meeting or in the House of Commons. So please don’t share any personal information that you don’t want to be public.
You can get updates on their work by following the Committee on Twitter @CommonsEFRA or on their website: https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/52/environment-food-and-rural-affairs-committee
### What is the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee?
The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee looks at and questions how the Government Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
· is run
· spends money
· decides on its policies
It's a cross-party committee and is independent of the Government.
This is a ‘select committee’. Find out how Select Committees work:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_2RDuDs44c
MPs investigate the economic impact of coronavirus
A group of MPs called the Treasury Committee is investigating the economic impact of coronavirus, including looking at support for businesses, employees and self-employed people.
The Committee launched the first stage of its inquiry on 18 March to look at the speed, effectiveness and reach of the Government’s and Bank of England’s immediate financial response to coronavirus.
During this stage, the Committee pushed the Government on the lack of support for the self-employed, on lenders requesting personal guarantees on business interruption loans, and on the issue of large firms struggling to get support, including in order to retain their employees.
On 24 April the Committee launched the next stage of its inquiry, in which it will examine the effectiveness, cost and sustainability of the Government’s and Bank of England’s support packages. The Committee will also examine the impact on the economy and different sectors, the implications for public finances, and how the Government can work towards a sustained recovery.
You can find out about the inquiry, including how to submit your views and details of meetings the Committee is holding, here: https://committees.parliament.uk/work/224/economic-impact-of-coronavirus/
The Treasury Committee is a cross-party group of MPs and is independent of the Government. The Committee looks at and questions the Government about matters relating to the spending of public money and economic policy.
You can find out more about the Treasury Committee on their website: https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/158/treasury-committee
You can follow the Treasury Committee on Twitter: @CommonsTreasury
The Treasury Committee is a ‘select committee’. Find out how Select Committees work: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_2RDuDs44c
Has coronavirus affected your business in Wales?
A group of MPs called the Welsh Affairs Committee is looking into the impact of coronavirus on the Welsh economy, and would like to hear your views.
If your business in Wales has been affected by coronavirus, complete this survey to tell the Welsh Affairs Committee how the coronavirus outbreak has affected you: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=nt3mHDeziEC-Xo277ASzSsdf6aRbb_hHi61kcnJ3-KJUNEpKUVQ3ODkxU0tTQUdVV05ZMFhYRFozRy4u
The survey should only take 10 minutes to complete, and closes at 5pm on 15 May.
The Welsh Affairs Committee is a cross-party group of MPs and is independent of the Government. The Committee looks at and questions the Government about matters that have an impact on Wales.
You can find out more about the Welsh Affairs Committee on their website: https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/162/welsh-affairs-committee/
You can follow the Welsh Affairs Committee on Twitter: @CommonsWelshAff
The Welsh Affairs Committee is a ‘select committee’. Find out how Select Committees work: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_2RDuDs44c
Further Information
You may also be interested to know that because of the large number of petitions that have been started in relation to coronavirus, the Petitions Committee has been questioning the Government about its response to the coronavirus outbreak.
Find out more and watch the Committee put questions suggested by petitioners to Government Ministers and the Deputy Chief Medical Officer: https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/326/petitions-committee/news/145767/committee-question-deputy-chief-medical-officer-and-ministers-on-coronavirus-response/
Read letters from the Committee asking further questions of Government Ministers: https://committees.parliament.uk/work/192/the-governments-response-to-coronavirus/publications/
Visit our website to find news and information on other activity in relation to coronavirus and other issues: https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/326/petitions-committee/
You can read impartial analysis of the Government response to coronavirus and policy developments here: https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/coronavirus/
E-petition session on support for households during COVID-19
On Thursday 17 September the Petitions Committee will hold a hybrid e-petitions session to discuss petitions relating to supporting households during the COVID-19 pandemic.
More than 347,000 petitioners have now signed parliamentary petitions relating to supporting households through the coronavirus crisis, as the Government continues to adapt the support system being offered across the country. The session will allow MPs to discuss these petitions, including:
• Implement Universal Basic Income to give home & food security through Covid19: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/302284
• Encourage lenders, landlords and utilities to freeze payments during lockdown: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/302256
• Require councils to suspend council tax payments during the coronavirus outbreak: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/303274
Ministers from the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government, Department for Work and Pensions and Treasury will be attending to respond to the debate.
This session has been scheduled because sittings in Westminster Hall (where e-petitions are normally debated) are still suspended as part of Parliament’s arrangements for adapting to the Coronavirus outbreak. This session will be held in one of Parliament’s committee rooms, with the option of MPs participating via video-link, giving them the opportunity to debate and question Government Ministers on the issues being raised by petitioners.
Watch live from 2.30pm on Thursday 17 September: https://www.parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/680ac921-0f35-4295-ae1c-76aea7b4b007
Follow the Petitions Committee on Twitter @HOCpetitions: https://twitter.com/HoCpetitions
MPs to debate the introduction of a universal basic income in the House of Commons
MPs will debate the introduction of a universal basic income on Tuesday 13 October in Westminster Hall. The subject of the debate has been determined by the Backbench Business Committee.
This will be a general debate. General debates allow MPs to debate important issues, however they do not end in a vote nor can they change the law.
The debate will start at 9.30am, and last for up to 90 minutes.
Watch here on Tuesday: https://parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/42211e68-3518-4792-b348-21e946a2a6c6
Find out more about how Parliamentary debates work: https://www.parliament.uk/about/how/business/debates/
Find out more about the Backbench Business Committee: https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/202/backbench-business-committee/