Questions Without Notice from Party Spokespeople

Part of 1. Questions to the Minister for Social Justice – in the Senedd at 1:50 pm on 4 May 2022.

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Photo of Jane Hutt Jane Hutt Labour 1:50, 4 May 2022

I'm very grateful, as I have said before, for your support and for your party's support for our UBI pilot. We're in the stages now of ensuring that we scope the pilot, particularly working with young people themselves, care experienced young people, to make sure that we get this right in terms of their needs and expectations. What is very important about the pilot is that it is unconditional. They will be getting their funding but also support in terms of the way that they can then access housing, access jobs, training and education. The basic income pilot is focused, of course, on those leaving care from 18. It's going to be launched in this financial year, and it is going to provide that cohort with £1,600 per month for a duration of 24 months. This should make a significant and positive change to participants' lives. Also, we need to recognise what this means in terms of their access to funding and to other benefits—in terms of housing benefits, for example. But I will look at that particular point that you've raised with me, because this is a crucial time in terms of us moving forward and indeed scoping our evaluation of the basic income pilot, which will be crucial in terms of lessons learnt.