Thread by @basicincome_uk

Important new research on Wales’ Basic Income pilot for care leavers. 👇

Professionals on the frontline saw both promise and risks — ambition vs. vulnerability.
This debate matters for how we design future schemes.
🧵 #BasicIncome #Wales

https://twitter.com/VibhorM11/status/1959990393849704796

1/ 🚨 Wales ran the UK’s first #BasicIncome pilot for care leavers: £1,600/month (£1,280 after tax) for two years.

A new study asks: what did the professionals who supported these young people think of the scheme?
Here’s what they said. 👇

2/ 🌟 The hopes
Professionals described the pilot as:
“Bold and ambitious”

A chance to reduce disadvantage

A way to give young people stability, dignity, and better transitions into adulthood.

3/ ⚠️ The concerns
Others worried the money could:
Exacerbate problems for the most vulnerable (e.g. those facing addiction, housing precarity)

Create a new “cliff edge” when payments stop at 20

Be unfairly targeted at care leavers but not other disadvantaged groups.

4/ 🤔 Mixed feelings
Many professionals felt conflicted.
They recognised the transformative potential of unconditional income — but feared risks without tailored support.
This tension shaped how the scheme was delivered.

5/ 🏛️ Politics and policy clashes

Devolution allowed Wales to act, but Westminster retained powers over benefits, tax and legal aid.

Example: UK Gov refused to exempt pilot income from legal aid means tests — limiting access to justice for some participants.

6/ 🧑‍🏫 Corporate parenting role
Professionals highlighted their duty as “corporate parents.”
That meant balancing:
Giving young people trust and autonomy
Protecting against harm

Navigating a system not fully designed for unconditional support

7/ ✅ Takeaway
The pilot is seen as ambitious and necessary — but also politically complex and practically challenging.
This study reminds us: it’s not just about giving cash.
It’s about designing support structures that ensure every young person benefits.

8/ 🔍 Full open access paper here: [Link to BJSW article]
Authors: Roberts, Holland, Westlake, Mathur, Lloyd, Bezeczky, Ablitt, Hick, Johnson & Sanders (2025).
Published in the British Journal of Social Work.
#BasicIncome #Wales #SocialWork

9/ 🗣️ How does that stack up against young people’s voices (from the evaluation reports)?

The contrast is striking...

10/ 🌟 Young people said the basic income was the right:

Group (care leavers)

Age (18–20)

Amount (£1,600 / £1,280 after tax)

They valued freedom to make choices, from driving lessons to saving for uni.

11/ 💬 Many reported:

Better mental health & wellbeing

Eating more regularly, joining sports, going out with friends

More control over education & job decisions

Confidence to plan ahead!

12/ ⚠️ But they also shared concerns:

Worry about the “cliff edge” when payments stop

Unequal outcomes — those in high-rent supported housing had less left to spend

Some struggled to budget and wanted more financial advice.

13/ 🔄 Compare this with professionals’ fears:

Risk of harm for the most vulnerable

Uneven needs across care leavers

Anxiety over unconditionality (“shouldn’t they have to do something?”)

14/ ✅ The overlap?
Both groups highlighted the need for extra support — budgeting advice, mentoring, guidance.
Both flagged the danger of payments ending suddenly.

15/ ❌ The difference?
Young people overwhelmingly embraced the scheme as life-changing.
Professionals were more cautious, worrying about risks and unintended effects.

16/ 🧩 Put together, the evidence suggests:

Cash works — young people use it to build stability, dignity, and opportunity.

But design matters: wraparound support and smoother exits are essential.

17/ 🔮 With the full evaluation due in 2027, one lesson is already clear:
Trust young people. Their voices show what’s possible when given autonomy and security.
#BasicIncome #Wales #CareLeavers

18/ 📑 Read more:

Professionals’ perspectives (British Journal of Social Work, 2025): doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/b…

Young people’s voices (Welsh Gov evaluation reports): gov.wales/basic-income-c…

#BasicIncome #Wales #CareLeavers