What would people do if they would earn an unconditional basic income (UBI)?
A few months ago I ran an online survey asking people if they would quit their jobs after earning an unconditional basic income (UBI). I suggested the value of a minimum wage as the basic income.
That means: they would earn that amount monthly and unconditionally (regardless of their income or employment situation).
This post just goes through the results — without any analysis. I will write a follow-up article soon with some comments and explaining why I have created this survey.
How many people would quit their jobs after earning an unconditional basic income (UBI)?
Different from my previous survey regarding financial independence, most people would not feel safe enough to quit their jobs by just earning a basic income.
Only 38% said they would quit or consider quitting their jobs after receiving a minimum wage monthly as a basic income. The other 62% answered that they would keep their current job.
In Belgium, however, more than half of the people said they would quit their jobs (or were not sure about it):
People from 45 to 65 years old were those more willing to do the same after receiving a basic income:
Regarding jobs, unemployed (or retired) people are those who seem to appreciate more a basic income as 64% of them said they would quit their jobs — which I assume might be related more to a career change as they were not working:
What would people do after earning a basic income?
My follow-up question was: what would you do if you would earn a minimum wage monthly as a basic income? 26% of the people would just carry on with their lives without any change. The same amount (26%) would like to have a better work-life balance or work fewer hours:
Who would keep the same lifestyle?
The most common answer to this survey was that nothing would change in their lifestyle if receiving a basic income. There were a few reasons for that: they thought the value (a minimum wage) was too low, it was still too insecure as the government could take away the benefit at any moment, and they would not like to rely on welfare.
Most people who would not change their lifestyle were working in teaching jobs. 62% of them would keep doing the same things as they are today:
The country that would be less affected by a UBI would be the USA: 50% of people living there would not change their lifestyle because of the basic income:
Also, younger people are less willing to use the basic income for a lifestyle change:
Who would improve their quality of life or work fewer hours?
However, also 26% of people said earning a basic income would help them to improve their quality of life. There were many reasons like spending more time with their families, time for hobbies, and working fewer hours (e.g. part-time).
People working in medical jobs are the ones who think their quality of life would improve more if receiving a basic income:
Also, older people are those who would appreciate more working fewer hours and have more family time:
The UK, Germany and the Netherlands are among the countries where people feel the would improve the most their quality of life by earning a UBI:
Who would seek a new job?
For 17% of people who answered this survey, earning a basic income would allow them to seek a new job they would care more about. People working in the public sector and real estate are those who would like more to have a basic income to feel safer for quitting their current jobs:
Older people are again the ones more unsatisfied with their current jobs and looking for a change:
The numbers are pretty consistent across different countries. The exception might be Germany, where only 9% of the people would actually look for a new job if they would earn a UBI:
Who would save that money?
Meanwhile, 13% of the people would just save this money for rainy days or future plans. Public servants and social workers are those who would be more willing to save that money:
Numbers by countries:
Numbers by age groups:
Who would invest in their studies?
8% of the people would use a basic income for studying. That is a very popular option among medical professionals: 40% of them would use the money to improve their skills:
That option is also more popular among young people:
And somewhat popular in Germany and Brazil: 13% of people living in Germany would invest that money in their studies against 10% in Brazil.
Who would start a new business?
Besides many people looking for a new job or working fewer hours, another 8% would like to use the basic income to have the financial safety to start their own company.
That option is mainly popular among people who already work running a business or in a management role:
Young people would like to take advantage of the basic income to invest in their own enterprises:
That option would be very popular in Belgium and Germany. 20% of the people living in Belgium would like to have a basic income to start a business. In Germany, that number reaches 13%:
Who would protest against it?
There were also some people (1%) who are totally against the idea of paying a basic income to people and they would protest against it.
4% of people working with engineering or science said they would protest and 3% of business people would do the same. They are people between 19 and 35 years old.
Only two countries mentioned protesting against it, though: the USA (where 8% said they would protest) and Germany (4% would protest).
Who would travel and invest in leisure activities?
Another very small amount of people (also 1%) said they would the basic income to travel more and invest in other leisure activities. Most people who would travel are currently unemployed (or retired): 11% of them would use the benefit in that way.
People who would use the basic income for traveling are between 26 and 35 years old (2% of them answered that).
Most used words
These were the most used words by people when answering “what would you if you would earn an unconditional basic income?”:
About this survey
244 people from 34 countries answered my survey but most of them come from six places: Brazil, UK, Germany, Netherlands, USA, and Belgium. They work with engineering, science, business or service industries. And their ages range from 26 to 35 years old.
That demographic is the same as mine for a reason: most people who answered it are in my contacts network. So, this survey has no intentions to be scientific or used in any serious way. The only intention here is to feed my curiosity — and maybe yours.
I also asked them what would they do after winning a €10 million prize. You can the results in my previous post.
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