Basic income must be universal and unconditional
Floyd 22 [David, freelance writer for five years, covering topics related to personal finances, economic news, trends, cryptocurrencies, blockchain technology and the intersection between finance and technology, David holds a BA in anthropology from Kenyon College, “The Long, Weird History of Universal Basic Income—and Why It’s Back” 21 June 2022, https://www.investopedia.com/news/history-of-universal-basic-income/, Investopedia. Accessed 11 July 2023.]
In its purest form, a basic income is an unconditional, periodic cash payment that the government makes to everyone. It is not based on means-testing, which means that a hedge fund manager and a homeless person receive the same amount.3
There are no strings attached with a UBI, so there are no requirements to work, attend school, receive vaccines, register for military service, or vote. It is not paid in kind—housing, food—or in vouchers. Instead, it is a floor below which no one's cash income can fall.3