I basically live at /r/BasicIncome and love the concept of something the right and left can get both behind.

My issue is twofold:

would the benefits we get at the moment be covered by the financial lump sum?

would people that are at risk of manipulation be able to handle finances on their own [mentally ill, elderly, infirm, disabled] and avoid being conned or manipulated by private health and/or social care providers?

For example if they were to involve health and not just social care, then how much can you say is an adequate amount to cover a long running condition.

The cost of chemotherapy sessions, x-rays, heck even dialysis treatments [which my dad has] would be so high that i have concerns people would have issues similar to the American health care system. where people have to decide between destitution and health.

Also at the poor working class end of the spectrum, would people given x amount per month allocate the money wisely or see it as a reason to buy random stuff or go on holidays? [From what i've seen in social sector is that people don't realise the benefits they lose and overvalue the money until its spent on unnecessary things. This has been a problem with elderly clients who spent money they were allocated on non care issues, i.e. paying for a person to hoover the house versus having someone get the shopping for them or help them out of bed]

I have first hand witnessed the appalling amount of red tape, bloat, pointless bureaucracy and wasted money at the top or on software and not enough money or support for those at the bottom in local councils, so don't think i'm pro big state.

I just don't know how to implement the UBI idea without hurting a lot of at risk people.

Am hoping the social experiment they're doing with UBI in finland will go a long way to showing if its viable or not for the UK.