Plans for a £1,600 per month test of universal basic income in England have been developed.

According to plans for the first experiment of a universal basic income in England, thirty people may get £1,600 per month with no strings attached.

For a two-year experimental programme to assess how it will affect the group's life, experts from the think tank Autonomy are looking for financial support.

Organisers claim such programmes can reduce poverty and streamline the assistance system.

Candidates will be chosen from East Finchley in north London and central Jarrow in northeastern England.

According to the idea of a universal basic income, the government would give everyone a predetermined salary regardless of their financial situation.

Universal Basic Income is opposed by some who claim it would be very expensive, take money away from public services, and not necessarily reduce poverty.

The planned pilot programme from Autonomy is intended to "make the case for a national basic income and more thorough trials to fully understand the potential of a basic income in the UK," according to the company.

"No one should ever be facing poverty, having to choose between heating and eating, in one of the wealthiest countries in the world," stated Cleo Goodman, creator of the Basic Income Conversation initiative, which is operated by the work-focused think tank.

Director of research at Autonomy Will Stronge stated that "all the evidence shows that [a UBI] would directly alleviate poverty and boost millions of people's wellbeing: the potential benefits are just too large to ignore."

Northumbria University and the nonprofit Big Local are supporting Autonomy's experiment.

In East Finchley and the centre of Jarrow, there have been two years of community consultation.

The opportunity to participate is open to everyone from the areas, and participants may choose to remain anonymous. Although those participating will be chosen at random, the organisers want it to be a representative group including 20% of individuals with disabilities.

Basic income payments would amount to £1.15 million over two years, with an additional £500,000 for administration, community support teams, and project assessment activities.

According to Autonomy, if money for income payments could be obtained, it is likely to come from private charitable sources, local governments, or a combination of both.

A universal basic income has previously been suggested as a way to ease the financial troubles brought on by the Covid-19 outbreak.

A £20 million experiment delivering a universal basic income to young people leaving foster care was also launched by the Welsh Labour administration last year.

500 care leavers would get £1,600 before taxes a month under the proposed programme, which is roughly equivalent to the living wage. The Welsh government asserted that the program's outcomes will be "thoroughly evaluated" while it is still in progress.

(Sources: bbc.co.uk, autonomy.work.co.uk)