Exploring the health case for Universal Basic Income : Evidence from GPs working with precarious groups

Johnson, Matthew and Geyer, Robert and Degerman, Dan (2019) Exploring the health case for Universal Basic Income : Evidence from GPs working with precarious groups. Basic Income Studies, 14 (2): 20190008. ISSN 1932-0183

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Abstract

This article draws upon clinical experience of GPs working in a deprived area of the North East of England to examine the potential contribution of Universal Basic Income to health by mitigating 'patient-side barriers' among three cohorts experiencing distinct forms of 'precariousness': 1) long-term unemployed welfare recipients with low levels of education (lumpenprecariat); 2) workers on short-term/zero-hours contracts with low levels of education ('lower' precariat); 3) workers on short-term/zero-hours contracts with relatively high levels of education ('upper' precariat). We argue that any benefits must be accompanied by robust institutions capable of promoting health.