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The Health Case for Basic Income

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The Palgrave International Handbook of Basic Income

Part of the book series: Exploring the Basic Income Guarantee ((BIG))

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Abstract

A large body of evidence indicates the importance of upstream determinants to health. Basic Income has been suggested as an upstream intervention capable of promoting health by affecting material, biopsychosocial and behavioural determinants. Calls are emerging across the political spectrum to introduce an emergency Basic Income to address socioeconomic insecurity. However, although existing studies indicate effects on health through cash transfers, Basic Income schemes have not previously been designed specifically to promote health. In this chapter, we scope the existing literature to set out the current evidence on the role of Basic Income as a public health measure. We present a theoretical model of impact that identifies three pathways to health impact, before setting out open questions related to regularity, size of payment, needs-based supplements, personality and behaviour, conditionality and duration. These set, for the first time, a checklist of research activities required in order to maximize health impact in Basic Income programmes.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Northumbria University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK

    Matthew Johnson & Elliott Johnson

  2. University of York, York, UK

    Kate Pickett

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  1. Matthew Johnson
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  2. Elliott Johnson
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Correspondence to Matthew Johnson .

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  1. Institute for Policy Research, University of Bath, Bath, UK

    Malcolm Torry

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Johnson, M., Johnson, E., Pickett, K. (2023). The Health Case for Basic Income. In: Torry, M. (eds) The Palgrave International Handbook of Basic Income. Exploring the Basic Income Guarantee. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-41001-7_6

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